While some people in Dutchess County may believe that a drunk driving conviction is relatively minor, they may not understand just how serious of a charge it can really be. Not only will a conviction mean a permanent record, but it could also mean the loss of a driver’s license, a fine or even jail time. For someone under the age of 21, however, the consequences are even more serious.
As a minor, being convicted of drunk driving automatically means a defendant’s license will be revoked for a year. Anyone who needs his or her car for work or school will be without transportation for a year. And, if it is a second conviction, an individual will lose his or her license for another year, or until the age of 21, whichever is longer.
Unfortunately for a 16-year-old boy from Dover Plains, he will be learning about these consequences after his recent arrest for minor driving while intoxicated. It is not entirely clear why police stopped the young driver or whether they had sufficient suspicion to do so, but they pulled the teenager over in Mount Kisco last month. Again, the Chappaqua-Mount Kisco Patch does not go into great depth, but the arresting officer apparently determined he was under the influence of alcohol and was arrested on suspicion of minor DWI.
If this boy is convicted, he may have a permanent criminal record. By working with an experienced drunk driving defense attorney, however, he may be able to have his charges dropped or lowered to something with less of a negative impact.
Source: Chappaqua-Mount Kisco Patch, “Police: 16 Year Old Arrested for DWI in Mt. Kisco,” Tom Auchterlonie, Feb. 17, 2013
