What to Do if Charged with a Felony DUI

A DUI ticket should not be taken lightly. DUI is a serious criminal offense with severe penalties. A felony DUI is even more serious and can result in imprisonment.

DUI

DUI is the abbreviation for Driving Under the Influence. Your Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) will determine if you are driving under the influence. The legal BAC limit across the US is 0.08%. If your BAC is 0.08% of above, you will be charged with DUI. Most DUI offenses are misdemeanors. But if you are under the influence and you cause a collision, you will be charged with a felony DUI. In some states a felony DUI is called an aggravated DUI. You will be charged with a felony or aggravated DUI if you drive drunk and result in an accident in which someone is killed or suffers life threatening injuries or you flee from the accident scene. A felony or aggravated DUI charge has enhanced penalties.

Penalties

The penalties for a felony or aggravated DUI are severe. You will be sentenced to at least one year in prison. You prison sentence will depend on your BAC and the severity of the accident. You drivers license will be suspended. You will be fines $400 or more. In some states, your vehicle can be impounded and sold. Some states install ignition interlock on the cars of those convicted for a felony DUI for at least two years after release from prison. You will be required to attend mandatory DUI education course. If you are convicted for a felony DUI, you will have a felony conviction on your criminal record which can cause problems for you in the future. You may have problems getting a job or renting an apartment.

Course of Action

If you are charged with a felony DUI, your first order of business must be to get in touch with an experienced drunk driving defense attorney. Do not speak to the police in the absence of your attorney. Exercise your right to remain silent.

Getting Legal Help

An experienced drunk driving defense attorney can advise you on the best option available to you. A felony DUI charge has severe penalties that can haunt you for the rest of your life. An experienced drunk driving attorney understands that a person can commit a mistake at times and unfortunate circumstances do arise. The attorney can his or her knowledge of the laws and interpret the statutes to serve as a lifeline in your case.