Consequences of a St. Patty’s Day DUI in Pennsylvania

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Each St. Patrick’s Day, we gather at local restaurants to enjoy each other’s presence in a festive atmosphere. This is especially true as we emerge from a long, dark winter. As is well known, it is not rare for people to celebrate with a couple of drinks on St. Patrick’s Day. Unfortunately, more people are charged with DUIs each St. Patrick’s Day than on most other days of the year. If you happen to be one of them, please read on, then contact an experienced Allegheny County DUI lawyer to learn what you should know about the consequences of a St. Patrick’s Day DUI in Pennsylvania.

What happens when you get a DUI on St. Patrick’s Day in Pennsylvania?

In the state of Pennsylvania, it does not matter what day of the year it is, you will face increasingly harsh penalties for each time, if any, you have previously sustained convictions for a DUI or related offenses. Additionally, your level of intoxication will play a role in the penalties you will face. That said, the penalties for a first offense DUI are as follows:

General Impairment (Blood Alcohol Content between .08% and .099%) DUI :

  • An ungraded misdemeanor
  • Mandatory 6 months of probation
  • A potential $300 fine
  • Mandatory participation and completion of alcohol highway safety school
  • Treatment, if court-ordered

High Blood Alcohol Content (between .10% and .16%) DUI:

  • Mandatory minimum 48 hours of incarceration
  • Up to 6 months of incarceration
  • Mandatory participation and completion of alcohol highway safety school
  • A 12-month license suspension
  • 1 year with the ignition interlock device
  • A potential $5,000 fine

Highest Blood Alcohol Content (.16% or higher) DUI:

  • Mandatory minimum 72 hours of incarceration
  • Up to 6 months of incarceration
  • A potential $5,000 fine
  • A 12-month license suspension
  • 1 year with the ignition interlock device
  • Full D&A Assessment
  • Mandatory participation and completion of alcohol highway safety school

Whatever the level of intoxication you allegedly had, you should reach out to a skilled Allegheny County DUI defense attorney to discuss challenging DUI evidence in Pittsburgh.

How can a DUI attorney help you in Pennsylvania?

As discussed in previous blogs, a qualified legal representative will help lobby one of many plausible arguments in your defense. He or she can argue that the stop was illegal, you have underlying medical or health issues that can be mistaken for inebriation, the testing was unreliable and that more evidence is needed to determine the true course of events. You have rights, so let us defend them. Give us a call today.

Contact Our Pittsburgh DUI Lawyer

The Law Office of George Heym focuses exclusively on DUI defense. George Heym is a former Allegheny County DUI prosecutor with an understanding of both sides of a DUI case, notable litigation experience, and relationships with local courts. Contact our firm to fight for your rights.

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