Driving while intoxicated can have a devastating impact on the personal and professional life of anyone convicted of the charge. Legal consequences can include fines, jail time and license suspension or loss, but for many, they can also involve job loss. These consequences often become more severe for repeat drunk driving offenses.
A 56-year-old village justice and practicing attorney from Pawling was arrested in 2009 for DWI after he was involved in an accident on Pawling’s Route 22. He was ultimately convicted of the charge. The state’s Commission on Judicial Conduct stepped in and censured him after the arrest.
Less than three years later, during the summer of 2012, he was pulled over on Route 6 and arrested on felony DWI charges after refusing to take a field sobriety test. The man entered a guilty plea and is now facing a treatment court, according to the Putnam County Court Clerk’s office. He may be eligible for a reduced sentence on the charges after completing a program of substance abuse treatment approved by the court. The state’s Court of Appeals has suspended him as Pawling village justice.
Anyone facing drunk driving charges, especially if this is for a DWI second offense, must understand the options available when it comes to the legal system. There may be programs in place that will result in a reduced sentence in exchange for a guilty plea, which will lessen the overall impact of the charges.
Source: Poughkeepsie Journal “Pawling judge pleads guilty in Carmel DWI,” Robert Marchant, Jan. 29, 2013
