If you’re like most people across North Carolina, you probably like to have a good time. For some, a good time includes hanging out with friends and consuming a few alcoholic beverages. Afterward, some make the right decision and get a sober ride home. But there are always the few who make the mistake of thinking they’re ok to drive. It’s in this moment that a mistake becomes a crime — a crime that can cost you a lot down the road.
In North Carolina, driving while impaired (DWI), also referred to as driving under the influence (DUI), is assessed using five levels. A level 5 charge is considered the least serious, with consequences like a maximum fine of $200 and a maximum of 60 days in jail. A level 1 charge is considered the most serious, with consequences like a maximum fine of $4,000 and a maximum sentence of two years in jail.
Though these DUI/DWI offenses are misdemeanors at first, receiving three convictions within a seven-year period automatically makes your next drunk driving charge a felony. North Carolina law is tough on habitual DUI/DWI offenders, requiring a mandatory minimum jail sentence of one year that can’t be suspended.
Your Right To Committed Criminal Defense
If you’ve been pulled over for a DUI/DWI offense in North Carolina, you may not just face fines and the possibility of jail time. Your driver’s license could be revoked, your vehicle may be seized and your insurance rates could go up because of a conviction. You might even lose your job because of your inability to drive.
Don’t let this be your future. Consider these tips during a traffic stop and remember that you always have the right to a lawyer. Secure the services of an experienced criminal defense lawyer like attorney Dylan W. Greenwood and you could potentially avoid some of these consequences.
Arrested For Drunk Driving? Let Us Help.
Even if the evidence against you seems strong, we will question everything from the stop to the field sobriety tests. We approach each DUI/DWI case using successful defense strategies that help refute the prosecution’s case to show your side of the story. If your constitutional rights were violated, we make sure that illegally obtained evidence gets thrown out.
If you’re facing drunk driving charges in Winston-Salem or elsewhere in Forsyth County, we urge you to contact our law firm, Greenwood Law. We put the law on your side and protect your rights throughout the entire legal process. Call our Winston-Salem office today at 336-794-6138 or schedule an appointment using this online contact form.
