The holidays are a festive time in Philadelphia. People attend many gatherings and parties to celebrate the holidays with friends and family. To help people get in the festive mood, it is common to have alcohol at these parties. to help everyone get into the festive mood. Sometimes people may consume more than they should though. Often times this leads to poor decisions.
Some of these decisions will make the next day a little more painful or be embarrassing, but others may be illegal. One of these decisions would be to get behind the wheel and drive. If a person is convicted for drunk driving, the consequences can be severe even for a first time DUI. However, those consequences become even more severe if a person has multiple DUIs.
The penalties increase with each DUI in a ten year period. Having four in a ten year period can have a major effect on a person’s life. The penalties depend on a person’s BAC. If the person has a BAC between .08 and .10, the person could go to jail anywhere from 10 days to two years, have a fine between $500 and $5,000, and have a license suspension and ignition interlock for one year. If the BAC is between .10 and .16, the person faces one to five years of jail time, a fine between $1,500 and $10,000, an 18 month license suspension and ignition interlock for one year. If the BAC is greater than .16, the penalties are the same as those between .10 and .16, but the minimum fine is $2,500.
There are many people who are charged with DUIs around this time of year in Philadelphia. The penalties for a person with four DUIs in a ten year period are severe, but they only occur if a person is convicted. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty and there may be defenses available that may help one avoid a conviction. Experienced attorneys understand the harsh penalties that come with DUI convictions and may be able to protect one’s rights.
Source: Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, “DUI Law Grading and Sentencing Guide” accessed on December 29, 2015
