DUI Plus: How Driving Under The Influence Can Lead To Felony Charges, Why & What To Do About It
Did you know that the moment of a crash doesn’t necessarily determine the extent of the crime?
Let me explain that another way.
When a pedestrian or another driver is hit by someone who is driving while under the influence, obviously there’s going to be a DUI charge, but it could be a lot more than that.
You see, it’s not just the act of driving a vehicle while impaired that’s illegal, it’s also the damage done to others — so the extent of the accident may affect the charge.
If you, or someone you love, has been in one of these accidents — the first thing that you should do is call a local legal specialist, to ask about your options.
The Full Extent Of The Law
In some States, most drivers who get behind the wheel while impaired are likely to escape with fines, or perhaps loss of their license — but that’s not the case in North Dakota.
Here, a driver may face mandatory prison time if they cause serious injuries, and the charge could escalate dramatically if anyone succumbs to injuries from the accident.
Now, the good news is, there are still a few options, and entire teams of specialists who know the law inside, outside, and upside down, so if there’s a reason that you shouldn’t be charged — they’ll find it.
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Of course, the bad news is, that means you have to call them, deal with the whole court system, and try to put everything back together again.
More Than DUI
So what if you’re driving under the influence and you get caught — but no one actually gets hurt?
Is it still a felony?
That’s an excellent question to ask your local legal specialist — and a hard one to answer through a blog, but I’ll try.
The answer is, it depends.
Sorry, I know that’s not really helpful, but it’s the truth.
It could lead to serious charges, but it depends on what exactly you’re doing, who caught you, what kind of a mood they’re in, who the judge is, and maybe even what you wear to court that day.
There’s a lot of leeway, is what I’m getting at.
If no one is hurt, you could get a simple charge — or it could escalate if you were also driving recklessly, speeding, stunting, or otherwise breaking more laws at once.
It’s complicated, at the very least — and that’s why we generally don’t deal with this kind of stuff.
We leave it to the lawyers — because it takes a special kind of person to memorize and know all of these tiny rules, regulations, and exceptions — and I’m not one of them.
A fact for which I will be forever thankful — as long as there’s someone else around who is.
