A Colorado Springs DUI or DWAI Charge Is Not a Conviction
No one plans to get a DUI, and many good people simply misjudge a situation and end up with DUI or DWAI charges in Colorado that they do not understand how to fight.
At the Law Offices of Andrew Bryant, our focus is simple: to help you battle your DUI charges and protect your rights and future. That can mean helping you to avoid jail time, keeping your license, and perhaps even pleading to a lesser charge – if the charges are not dismissed or dropped outright.
If you have been charged with driving under the influence in Colorado, you need someone on your side to help you understand the charges against you and formulate the best defense for your case.
You Should Know about DUIs and DWAIs in Colorado
Driving under the influence often referred to as a DUI, is a charge most people have heard of before. It is perpetrated when a person operates a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher.
Even if they are driving safely, it is not legal to drive if your blood alcohol is above that legal limit. Colorado can charge you for driving with a blood alcohol content above the legal limit even if you are not showing signs of impairment, which is called a DUI per se.
However, there is another charge that can stem from drinking and driving. A DWAI, or driving while ability impaired, is typically charged when a driver has a blood alcohol content between 0.05 percent and 0.08 percent.
DWAIs carry fewer penalties than a DUI, but they are no less serious on your criminal record.
What Are the Penalties for DUIs in Colorado?
DUI charges are typically misdemeanors – but the penalties that you will find yourself up against depend on if you have ever had a DUI or DWAI before, as well as what your blood alcohol level was at the time of your arrest.
For example, a first-time DUI or DUI per se can result in jail time for up to one year, fines of as much as $1,000, community service, and suspension of your driver’s license for nine months. However, it is important to note that even for a first-time DUI, anyone with a blood alcohol level of 0.15 percent or higher will be sentenced more harshly.
If you have three prior DUI or DWAI convictions on your record, you will face felony charges for any subsequent arrest. This can land you in prison for up to six years and make you responsible for fines of as much as $500,000.
You will typically be charged with a misdemeanor for a first DWAI, but that does not mean it is not serious. You can still go to jail for as many as six months, have to pay fines of up to $500, be required to complete community service hours, and get points added to your license.
Four or more DWAIs will be charged as a Class 4 felony, which carries with it up to six years behind bars, fines of $500,000, and the suspension of your driver’s license for two years.
Getting Help with the DMV in Colorado Springs
Losing your license can have a hugely detrimental impact on your life. That is why, with the help of the Law Offices of Andrew Bryant, you can request a hearing through the DMV to keep your license.
Not many people understand that after a DUI arrest, they have seven days to request a hearing with the Colorado DMV. Failure to request a hearing will automatically suspend a driver’s license for as many as nine months.
When you have the Law Offices of Andrew Bryant in your corner, we can ensure that you use this time to request a hearing and possibly reinstate your license.
How Express Consent Works in Colorado
In the state of Colorado, there is something called the Express Consent Law. This means that anyone pulled over under the suspicion of a DUI or DWAI must submit a chemical test of their urine, blood, breath, or saliva.
If anyone refuses to take a chemical test, then their driver’s license is automatically revoked for as long as 12 months, and they may have other penalties piled on top of that, including the installation of an ignition interlock device.
That is why it is vital to call an attorney as soon as possible after you have been arrested for a DUI or DWAI.
What About Underage Drinking?
Anyone under 21 in Colorado Springs driving a vehicle with a blood alcohol level of 0.02 percent or higher is breaking the law. Even for first-time underage DUI offenders, this will count as a Class A traffic infraction, resulting in fines, community service, the suspension of their license for up to three months, and a criminal record.
If someone under 21 is found to be operating a vehicle with alcohol in their system after the first occurrence, they face even steeper penalties. They can spend up to three months in jail, be fined as much as $300, be required to complete community service, and have their license suspended for six months.
DUI and DWAIs are serious crimes no matter your age, so seek legal help from the Law Offices of Andrew Bryant if you face these charges.
How Long Will Your Colorado Springs DUI Case Take?
On average, those fighting DUI or DWAI cases against them should plan for it to take three to six months. After you are arraigned and formally charged with a DUI or DWAI, your attorney can begin negotiating on your behalf with the prosecution, possibly avoiding a trial altogether and getting you the best possible outcome for your case.
With the Right Attorney By Your Side, Colorado DUI Charges Can Be Beat
DUI or DWAI charges may seem intimidating in Colorado, but they are not unbeatable. The skilled legal professionals at the Law Offices of Andrew Bryant will analyze each element of the case against you to find evidence that you may not have been treated fairly under the law or that circumstances exist that make your DUI or DWAI charge illegitimate.
All kinds of mistakes can be made in these kinds of cases, and you deserve to have your rights protected. Learn more about the many ways we can help by getting in touch with us today.
