New York police say that a 34-year-old man was taken into custody on March 25 at about 3 a.m. He was originally stopped by police around that time because he was speeding. However, authorities realized that the man was intoxicated and that he did not have a valid license. The driver’s license had been suspended seven times in the past because of not paying tickets and breaking various alcohol laws.
The man was charged with a felony count of DWI as well as an aggravated count of unlicensed operation of a vehicle. He faced the felony DWI because of two previous convictions as well as a conviction for driving while impaired in the past decade. Furthermore, the unlicensed operation of a vehicle charge was upgraded because he was drunk while doing so. Authorities also charged the driver with not having an ignition interlock device in the vehicle.
Police said that the man refused to take a Breathlyzer test, and that he did not pass field sobriety tests. In addition to the criminal charges, the driver’s vehicle was impounded, and he was given several traffic citations. It was not mentioned whether the man was held in jail or what led police to believe that he was intoxicated.
Those who are charged with drunk driving may face significant penalties if convicted. Penalties may include incarceration, a fine and a loss of driving privileges. Charges could be increased to felonies based on a driver’s previous history. As such, people who find themselves in this position might want to have the assistance of a criminal defense attorney.
