A New York resident who was formerly an anti-DWI advocate was arrested for drunk driving herself after her vehicle was found crashed into a tree outside her apartment in Colonie. Although the woman survived, she was arrested for driving while intoxicated after reportedly failing the sobriety tests officers on the scene administered to her.
The woman had worked closely with the Albany County Stop DWI group to help raise awareness against drunk driving. Her brother was the passenger of a car driven by another individual when he died in a drunk driving crash. The driver served two and a third to seven years in prison. Ever since her brother’s death, she has been an advocate against drunk driving, even working with the Choices 301 anti-drunk driving campaign.
The woman is facing charges of driving while intoxicated, aggravated DWI, unlawful possession of marijuana and operating a motor vehicle while using a portable device. She was expected to speak at a victims’ impact panel on March 26th, but she was slated for a March 27 court appearance instead.
Those convicted of DWI offenses in New York face stiff penalties. Those penalties are more severe if someone is injured or killed in the crash. Additionally, the penalties worsen with each offense. For instance, those convicted of a felony DWI face much stricter penalties than those convicted of misdemeanor DWI offenses.
A criminal defense attorney who specializes in DWI cases may help those charged with a crime negotiate reduced charges with the prosecution. For example, some individuals may need substance abuse counseling to overcome a substance abuse issue. A DWI attorney can sometimes convince the judge that substance abuse treatment would be a better alternative than the maximum penalties.
Source: Your News Now, “Former anti-DWI advocate arrested for drunk driving,” Erin Vannella, March 10, 2013
