What Are Other Possible Charges Related To DUI?
A DUI charge in West Palm Beach is tough enough to fight on its own, but when related charges are added, you face much more complex legal challenges. Your ability to drive, work and live a normal life hinge upon choosing experienced legal representation. Working with the West Palm Beach lawyers at Perlet & Shiner, P.A. is your best choice for successfully fighting DUIs and related charges.
Types of offenses related to DUIs
Our West Palm Beach attorneys have helped hundreds of clients avoid criminal convictions for the following DUI-related charges: [1], [2], [3], [4]
Property damage: If you caused damage to another person’s property while driving under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating chemicals, you will be charged with “DUI with property damage,” which is a first-degree misdemeanor. If convicted of DUI with property damage, you could be sentenced to one year in jail.
Serious bodily injury: If you operate a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and cause physical harm to another person, you will be charged with “driving under the influence with serious bodily injury.” DUI with serious bodily injury is a third-degree felony for first-time offenders, and a conviction could carry a five-year jail sentence.
Vehicular manslaughter: If you are intoxicated and cause the death of another person, which includes unborn children, you’ll be charged with “DUI vehicular manslaughter.” This offense is a second-degree felony and carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of four years in jail, and a maximum of 30 years.
Hit-and-run: Also known as “leaving the scene of an accident,” a hit-and-run charge can range from a second-degree misdemeanor (when property is damaged) to a first-degree felony if someone is killed. A hit-and-run conviction involving DUI vehicular manslaughter is punishable by a maximum of 30 years in prison.
Blood-alcohol content (BAC) test refusal: When you operate a motor vehicle in the state of Florida, you give your implied consent to undergo BAC testing if a law enforcement officer suspects that you are under the influence. Refusal to submit to a blood, urine or breath test could result in a one-year suspension of your driver’s license.
Resisting arrest: A charge of resisting arrest can be tacked on to your DUI charges due to the most minor actions, like not obeying verbal commands or tensing your arms during the handcuffing procedure. Resisting a police officer without violence is a first-degree misdemeanor, and resisting a police officer with violence is a third-degree felony.
Contact a DUI lawyer in West Palm Beach today
If you’ve been charged with DUI or a related crime, your best hope of avoiding fines, jail time and a criminal record is to contact our West Palm Beach attorneys as soon as possible. At Perlet & Shiner, P.A., our DUI lawyers are armed with the most effective defense strategies to help you combat potentially harsh penalties for DUI and related offenses.
