Barbara A. Bowden

Tacoma, WA DUI Attorney

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Understanding Your DUI

UNDERSTANDING TACOMA DUIShould you take the blood alcohol test? Why were you pulled over? Check out this infographic to understand your DUI. Click to enlarge.

Are Stricter DUI Penalties in Washington’s Future?

Are Stricter DUI Penalties in Washington’s FutureWith the way that state laws are organized today, the state of Washington has some of the most relaxed laws in the country when it comes to driving under the influence.  According to a study done by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, there were 160 alcohol related motor vehicle fatalities in Washington in 2012. The U.S. Department of Transportation defines these alcohol-related deaths as “fatalities that occur in crashes where at least one driver or non-occupant (pedestrian or bicyclist) involved in the crash has a positive Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) value”.

Today, across the entire state of Washington, a person needs to be convicted of five DUIs before it is considered a felony. This means that for the first four DUIs, the driver walks away with a misdemeanor. If you are thinking that this seems like a very small punishment for someone who has committed a crime that kills so many people a year, you are right. Of the 45 states that have DUI related felony charges, Washington is the only state in which a person needs to receive a DUI five times before it is considered a felony. The majority of other states reach a felony level after four convictions. Idaho and Oregon, however, have the strictest DUI related laws, with felony convictions in these states happening after only three offenses.

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Michael Phelps Entered Recovery Program After DUI Arrest– Should You?

michael phelps duiIn early October, Michael Phelps splashed into the headlines, and not for adding another Olympic gold to his record-setting medal count. The serial Olympian was arrested for his second DUI. According to a report in Fox News, the 29-year-old was charged with drunk driving when he failed the field sobriety tests. His blood alcohol level registered at .14. [Read more…]