Fountain DUI Lawyer

Are you looking for a DUI lawyer in Fountain, CO?

At Christian A. Schwaner, P.C. DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyer, we provide DUI representation guided by more than 20 years of experience in Fountain and the surrounding area.

If you have been arrested for driving under the influence in Fountain, you need an attorney who can examine the stop, the testing, and the paperwork before the state builds its case. Our Fountain, CO DUI lawyer does exactly that. At Christian A. Schwaner, P.C. DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyer, we review every part of the arrest and explain, in plain terms, where your case stands. Contact our office to request a free consultation and a straightforward assessment of your options.

DUI Lawyer Fountain, CO

In 2025, law enforcement across Colorado filed 16,665 DUI cases, according to state transportation data that also fixes the 0.08 percent blood alcohol limit defining a DUI per se. A stop in Fountain adds to that number the moment an officer concludes a driver is impaired.

A DUI, or driving under the influence, means operating a vehicle after alcohol, drugs, or both have affected a person’s ability to drive safely. At or above the legal limit, a driver can be charged on the reading alone, under what is called the per se limit. Below it, a lesser charge of driving while ability impaired can still apply when an officer observes signs of a lower degree of impairment. Both charges are heard in the same courts, and both call for a careful look at how the evidence was gathered.

Types of DUI Cases We Handle in Fountain

Our office represents drivers across the full range of impaired driving charges. Some cases involve a single reading near the limit. Others involve prior convictions, drugs instead of alcohol, or a driver under the legal age. The specific charge decides what the state must prove and where a defense begins.

• First-offense DUI. A first arrest opens two matters at once: a criminal case and a separate DMV action against your license. We look closely at the reason for the stop, the roadside testing, and the breath or blood analysis, because a first case often has more room than drivers expect.
• Repeat DUI charges. Prior convictions raise what is at stake on a new case. We review how earlier pleas were entered and whether they should count against you, then build the current defense around the facts in front of us.
• Driving while ability impaired. A DWAI applies at a lower degree of impairment than a DUI and can involve alcohol, drugs, or a combination. The reduced threshold changes what the state must show, and it often changes the negotiating position as well.
• Drug-impaired driving. Charges involving cannabis, prescription medication, or other substances rest on evidence that is harder to measure than alcohol. We question how impairment was determined and whether the testing actually supports the accusation.
• Underage impaired driving. Colorado applies a far lower tolerance to drivers under 21, so a small amount of alcohol can lead to a charge. We work to limit the effect on a young driver’s license, record, and future opportunities.
• Felony impaired driving. Some DUI charges are filed as felonies, particularly for drivers with several prior convictions or when a crash causes serious injury. These cases carry the greatest exposure and demand the closest review of every fact.
• Refusal and express consent cases. Declining a chemical test triggers a separate license proceeding apart from the criminal charge. We address both tracks together so that one does not quietly undermine the other.

Why Choose Christian A. Schwaner, P.C. DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyer as My DUI Lawyer in Fountain, CO?

A Former Prosecutor Handling DUI Defense in Fountain

A DUI is prosecuted as a crime, not a traffic ticket, and defending one draws on the same skills as any serious criminal case. Those skills come from years of work as a criminal defense lawyer in Fountain, CO. Christian Schwaner has handled impaired driving matters for more than 20 years, including years spent as a prosecutor in this region. He served as a Deputy District Attorney in El Paso and Teller Counties and as a Special Prosecutor in Pueblo and Canon City before founding the firm. He earned his law degree from the University of Denver and has practiced in Colorado since 1997. He is also a member of the National College for DUI Defense, an organization devoted to impaired driving cases. That background matters, because he knows how the state assembles a DUI file. He once assembled them himself.

Recognition and Results

Our office has handled thousands of criminal and DUI matters. We have helped drivers reach favorable outcomes after other attorneys told them little could be done. The firm has also earned recognition among the top DUI attorneys in the Colorado Springs area for its work on these cases. Consultations are free, and Christian Schwaner keeps direct contact with the clients he represents. Every case receives an honest assessment rather than a promise we cannot keep.

Understanding DUI Cases

Charges, Penalties, and Defense Strategies for DUI Cases

Colorado treats impaired driving as a criminal matter, not a routine traffic ticket. A conviction can bring a range of consequences, and the range depends on the charge and any prior record. Common consequences include:

• Fines, court costs, and supervision fees.
• License suspension handled through the DMV.
• Alcohol or drug education and treatment.
• Community service and, in some cases, jail.
• Heavier terms for prior offenses.

We review whether the stop was lawful, whether the testing was performed correctly, and whether the results hold up under scrutiny. Depending on those answers, sound defense strategies may involve challenging the traffic stop, questioning the equipment, or negotiating a reduced charge where the evidence is weak. Because the possible penalties vary with the charge and the prior record, an early review of the facts helps set realistic expectations. It also lets us identify the strongest issues early, well before the first court date.

What Are Important Aspects of a DUI Case?

Two parts of a DUI case decide much of what follows: how impairment was measured, and how the driver responded at the roadside. Officers rely on field sobriety tests, roadside observations, and chemical testing, and each of those can be questioned. The parts we look at first include:

• The reason for the initial stop and whether it was lawful.
• Whether the roadside tests were administered and scored correctly.
• Whether the breath or blood alcohol level reading is reliable.
• How a decision to refuse chemical testing affects the case.

Colorado’s express consent law requires drivers to submit to chemical testing after a lawful DUI arrest, and a refusal carries its own license consequences separate from the criminal charge. We account for both when we plan a defense.

What Is The DUI Case Timeline?

A DUI moves on two tracks at once. The criminal case proceeds through the courts, while the license question is decided separately by the state. A typical case follows this path:

• Arrest, chemical testing, and release, often with a notice about the license.
• A short deadline to request a DMV hearing on the license.
• Arraignment and entry of a plea in the criminal case.
• Motions, evidence review, and negotiation.
• Trial or resolution, followed by any required programs.

The Colorado DMV handles the license side, and its deadlines run quickly. Our Fountain DUI attorney tracks both the court schedule and the DMV deadline so that neither is missed.

What Should You Bring to Your DUI Consultation?

A first meeting is more useful when you bring the paperwork from the arrest. Helpful items include:

• Any citation, summons, or bond paperwork you received.
• The notice about your license or any DMV correspondence.
• A written summary of what you remember about the stop.
• Information about prior cases, if any exist.

The consultation is free. We review what you have, explain how the two tracks apply to your situation, and set out the options without pressure.

Fountain Courthouses and Local Criminal Justice Resources

Where a Fountain DUI is heard depends on who filed it. State impaired driving charges are handled by the El Paso County courts in the Fourth Judicial District, which serves Fountain along with the rest of the county. Charges written under city ordinance may instead move through the Fountain Municipal Court. Reading the citation carefully tells you which court applies. Because Fountain sits beside Fort Carson, some drivers are service members, and a DUI can reach a military command as well as the civilian courts.

Reach Out to Christian A. Schwaner, P.C. DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyer to Schedule a Consultation

A DUI charge in Fountain involves the courts, the DMV, and often your daily life, and you do not have to sort it out alone. Our Fountain DUI lawyer offers a free consultation and a clear reading of your options. At Christian A. Schwaner, P.C. DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyer, we explain the next steps in plain terms and answer your questions directly. Contact us to arrange a time that works for you.