When an officer arrests and charges you with a DWI in Utah, she or he can also charge you with other crimes if they are related to your DWI. Once that happens, the state can bring multiple charges against you–all of which you can expect to fight in court. A jury may find you not guilty on one charge, but guilty on another charge. Moreover, a jury can find you guilty of all charges. If this happens to you, you will serve a lengthy time in jail or prison after all these charges pile up.
Public Intoxication
Utah can charge you with DWI and public intoxication if you get out of your car and begin disturbing public places. Public intoxication occurs when you are under the influence of a drug, alcohol, or anything that releases toxic vapors from your body while endangering a person in a public or private setting. In many states, the state cannot charge you with public intoxication if you are in a home. However, In Utah, as long as you are unreasonably disturbing others in any private place, such as a home, a jury can find you guilty of public intoxication.
This is a Class C Misdemeanor. It comes with a fine of up to $750 and jail time of up to 90 days.
Underage Drunk Driving
You only need to be sixteen to drive a car. But you need to be twenty-one to consume alcoholic beverages. If you are caught driving while intoxicated and you also happen to be younger than twenty-one years old, the state will also charge you with a separate offense. In this case, your blood alcohol content level does not need to be 0.08 (or 0.04 for commercial motor vehicles). Utah has a zero tolerance policy, so having any amount of alcohol in your system (0.01) is a violation.
If you are a first-time offender and this is your additional charge, the state will suspend your driver’s license for up to 120 days or until your turn twenty-one, screen you for substance abuse, and make you serve a minimum of 48 hours in a jail or a detention center or on house arrest. Also, you will likely be ordered to take a drug and alcohol education course. The judge may also grant you supervised probation. In some circumstances, the court may allow you to drive on a restricted driver’s license so that you can go to school and work.
Why Do I Need A DWI Lawyer?
You need a driving while intoxicated lawyer in Salt Lake City Utah because it is far too difficult to under legalese without years of education and experience. The state will use head-scratching legal jargon, subpoena witnesses (such as the arresting officer) to testify against you, bring medical exports to validate your blood alcohol content level, and make convincing arguments as to why you should be incarcerated. Remember, it is the state’s job to bring a strong case againstyou so that you are found guilty. Having a DWI defense attorney levels the playing field. We at Rasmussen and Miner will challenge the credibility of the breathalyzer test and field sobriety test, bring witnesses who can testify favorably about your character, and reflect cracks in the prosecutor’s arguments.
To speak with a
DWI lawyer Salt Lake City UT residents turn to, call
Rasmussen & Miner today.
