A Brief Guide to Drunk Driving Cases
With the excessive growth in Drunk Driving Cases, Virginia has started cracking down on these drivers. The state has adopted national laws applicable to DUI. This includes reducing the blood-alcohol content readings for minors and commercial drivers. These changes allow the court system to convict the accused based on reduced levels and hopefully, encourage better judgement when driving in the future.
Laws You May Not Know
In Virginia; you could face charges for possessing alcohol during specific times and locations. For example, officers enforce the open container law. It is illegal to possess alcohol anywhere within a school. This includes the parking lot.
Misrepresenting your legal age to obtain alcohol is warrants a spiral that affects more than just you. The same is true for adults who buy alcohol for minors. The court could order you or the individual who bought the alcohol to spend up to one year in county lock-up. The cashier who completed the sale receives a fine and jail time as well.
When An Accident Occurs
The accused doesn’t face DUI charges only. If the other driver or passengers are injured, they could face a civil case as well as further criminal charges. A fatality is a major game changer. The circumstances of the case could produce charges of involuntary manslaughter. This is common for accidents in which DUI was a contributing factor.
The chain of possession of the alcohol and the intoxication levels of the accused apply in these cases as well. When accidents happen, the investigation determines every single person who could be deemed accountable. This could also include the cashier who sold alcohol to the driver and the owner of the establishment where it was sold. Accountability is addressed in criminal and civil cases associated with driving under the influence.
Drunk Driving Cases produce a wide spectrum of penalties. Judges hand out sentences based on the previous number of convictions. If the charges are classified as aggravated, further penalties may apply. This could include inflated blood-alcohol levels or the presence of a child in the vehicle. If you are facing these charges, you should contact a DUI attorney immediately.
