9. Necessity
Sometimes people feel compelled to drive while intoxicated in order to escape from a dangerous situation or to help someone else. Santa Rosa DUI lawyers will explain to you that this is an "equitable defense" which, if successful, can result in reduced or dropped charges in Sonoma County superior or traffic court, but such defenses are not typically recognized at the Santa Rosa DMV.
These defenses are most successful when your Sonoma County DUI attorney can establish that the danger was of such a nature that a sober, reasonable person would have been compelled to drive, and that you drove only so far as was necessary to escape the risk of danger or otherwise address the emergency. If you were trying to get away from someone, then typically driving a couple blocks or a mile or so would be the furthest expected.