Apr 24, 2018

A certification issue with the breath tests used on suspected drunk drivers across Nebraska has led several counties, including Lancaster, to pursue blood samples in all DUI cases.

The issue — which applies to breath tests given in jail and at detox, not the preliminary tests used by officers on the street — has temporarily complicated Lincoln-area drunk-driving investigations and made them more invasive.

Meanwhile, defense attorneys across the state have been digging into how the certification issue might affect their clients and examining ways to challenge previous breath-test samples.