Enhancements to a Pennsylvania DUI Offense
Most Pennsylvania DUI arrests result in misdemeanor charges, but cases involving serious injury or death will likely bring felony charges. A Pennsylvania DUI lawyer from Ciccarelli Law Offices is ready to review your felony or misdemeanor driving under the influence charge and will endeavor to develop a strong defense strategy to help you.
There are a number of different factors that can result in significant enhancements to a DUI charges which including but are not limited to 1) a dui that involves personal injury or series injuries; 2) a dui accident that results in vehicular homicide; 3) a dui involving leaving the scene of an accident. Other enhancements involve 1) multiple DUIs within a ten (10) year period, 2) a dui where the blood alcohol level is twice the legal limit (.16%) or higher; 3) a dui where the driver refuses to submit to chemical testing; 4) a dui involving a commercial drivers license (CDL) or 5) a Dui involving a minor driver.
Pennsylvania has a unique three-tiered system for charging DUI based on blood alcohol content (BAC) and prior convictions. However, unless serious injury or death was involved, all three tiers are charged as misdemeanors with progressively more serious repercussions for higher BAC and/or prior DUI convictions.
Felony DUI charges are extremely serious allegations that carry prison time and other harsh penalties. Some felony charges that can be brought in Pennsylvania DUI charges involving serious injury or death include felony DUI injury, aggravated assault while under the influence, and homicide while under the influence.
It may be possible for you to have all charges dismissed against you, or it may be possible to plead guilty to less-serious charges and/or receive reduced punishment with a skillfully negotiated plea bargain. A plea bargain should be just that – a good deal for both you and the district attorney.
Both felony and misdemeanor DUI charges carry harsh repercussions, so it’s imperative that you have a top defense attorney on your side who will be appropriately aggressive on your behalf, fighting for you, seeking to do the best job possible under the circumstances presented in your case. A Chester County Pennsylvania DUI defense attorney from Ciccarelli Law Offices is ready to evaluate your driving under the influence case and help you plan a strong defense. Please contact us today for a free consultation.
If you’re like many drivers arrested for Pennsylvania DUI, you may be tempted to plead guilty just to put the experience behind you. That’s completely understandable, but you should know that there may be excellent reasons to fight your case. To learn more about aggressive defenses to DUI charges, please contact the Pennsylvania DUI attorneys at Ciccarelli Law Offices today for a free consultation.
