As defined under Washington state laws, any driver who is 21 years or older and does not possess a CDL is classified as driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 percent. Drivers under the age of 21 are considered drunk if their reading is 0.02 percent. Any driver caught driving a commercial vehicle with a breathalyzer reading of 0.04 percent is guilty of a DUI. With strictly enforced DUI laws throughout the state, it is in your best interests to hire DUI Lawyers in Port Orchard WA immediately upon your arrest.
Washington DUI Laws and Penalties
The Department of Licensing in the state of Washington is within its right to suspend the driver’s license of any driver who is suspected of a DUI. This implies that even if the driver is not convicted, he or she could lose their privileges at the discretion of this agency. In addition, you could lose your vehicle registration based on the designated suspension assigned before you enter a courtroom. The allowed duration is between ninety days and two years; it begins sixty days following your arrest.
The driver’s only course of action that could reverse this assignment of suspension is to file a request for an administrative hearing within the first twenty days after the arrest. The purpose of the hearing is to determine whether or not you have received a conviction for DUI by the court. A formal request is necessary and obtainable through legal counsel or by acquiring the form through the DOL.
Drivers who do not have previous convictions for DUI may receive reduced penalties. However, any additional circumstances that apply to their case such as an increase in charge based on reckless driving or aggravated DUI could eliminate leniency by the judge. Aggravated DUI implies that the driver’s blood-alcohol content exceeded 0.15 percent or there was a child in the vehicle at the time of arrest. Excessive speeding implies that the driver is guilty of reckless driving.
A first offense charge results in up to one year in county lockup. The fines range between $350 to $5,000. If the driver is guilty of aggravated DUI, the minimum sentence becomes at least two days with a maximum of one year, and the fines begin at $500. If you are facing these charges, you should contact DUI Lawyers in Port Orchard WA at Bennett Moran and Gianneschi Attorneys immediately.
