A second DUI offense in Washington carries much more serious penalties than the first. This is especially true if the second DUI occurred within seven years of the previous DUI—the judge must impose the mandatory sentencing minimums.
Unless your charge can be reduced, deferred, or you are acquitted at trial, these are the consequences you are facing:
Penalties for a breath or blood test result of less than .15,
Jail time: 30-day minimum and an additional 60 days of electronic home monitoring.
Fines and penalties 1,120.50 up to $5,000—this number is dependent on other factors such as accidents or injuries that were the result of your drunk driving.
License suspension: 2 years minimum up to 900 days
Electronic home monitoring: The judge will impose 60 days of home monitoring after you serve your jail sentence.
Ignition interlock: The court will order you to install an ignition interlock device in your vehicle at your own expense. You will be required to use this device for one year if you were not previously ordered to do so, and 5 years if you were previously ordered to use it for one year.
Other: You will be required to get a chemical dependency evaluation from a state-approved agency and the judge will order you to complete any treatment the agency recommends.
Penalties for a breath or blood test result of .15 or higher, or if you refused testing
Jail time: 45-day minimum to 1 year
Fines and penalties: $1,620.50 up to $5,000—this number is dependent on other factors such as accidents or injuries that were the result of your drunk driving.
License suspension: 900-day revocation or 3 year revocation if you refused the test. You will also have to purchase high-risk insurance and pay a reissue fee..
Electronic home monitoring: You will be on house arrest for 90 days after completing your jail sentence.
Ignition interlock: You will only be allowed to operate vehicles equipped with a functioning ignition interlock device. This restriction could be for 1 year, 5 years, or 10 years depending on whether you were previously required to have this device.
Other: Even if you were previously evaluated for chemical dependency, you will need to be re-evaluated.
Call a DUI Attorney in Tacoma, Washington
Whether it’s your first time getting pulled over or your third, a DUI is detrimental to the life you’ve worked hard to build. And while the consequences of a DUI offense seem daunting and stressful, you do have options. That’s why working with a Tacoma, Washington DUI attorney is so important to your livelihood. The attorneys at The Law Offices of Barbara A. Bowden are known and respected for the way we advocate for the well being of our clients. We can identify the options for your particular situation and help determine which path you should go down. Contact us today.
