Despite the fact that your DUI/DWI may not have been intentionally harmful or malicious, it is still taken quite seriously in the eyes of the State of Connecticut. The seriousness of the offense is increased dramatically if this is not the first DUI/DWI on your record, especially if less than 10 years have passed since your last DUI/DWI incident.

Multiple DUI/DWIs are almost always taken more seriously than first-time DUI/DWIs. Though this may seem unfair, there is a logic behind it. Every time you get behind the wheel while impaired, you run the risk of harming others. Doing this and getting caught multiple times, even if you had a perfectly valid explanation, can look to the Court like you are being reckless with the lives and safety of other people.

As such, second offense DUIs are usually judged more harshly than first DUIs, and the average punishment for a second DUI is worse than the average punishment for a first DUI.

In the State of Connecticut, charges for a second DUI offense within 10 years of a first offense can include:

• A felony conviction, which can have many of its own negative consequences (including employment issues, housing issues, public program access issues, and the loss of the right to vote)
• Mandatory alcohol and/or drug treatment
• Fines up to $4,000
• A license suspension for at least 45 days, followed by three years with an ignition interlock device
• 100+ hours of community service
• A mandatory minimum of 120 days in prison
• Revocation of commercial driver’s license, if applicable.

If this is your third or fourth DUI charge, those penalties can become even more drastic. In addition to everything you might face in a second DUI case, they also include:

• Fines of up to $8,000
• Extended driver’s license suspension or permanent driver’s license revocation.
• A mandatory minimum of one year, and up to three years in prison.

These penalties are on the table simply for standard repeat DUIs. They can become even more severe if there are “aggravated circumstances”, or factors that increase the severity or the potential harm of the DUI. These include:

• Minors present in the car
• Having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over twice the legal limit
• Driving on a suspended or revoked license
• Refusing to submit to chemical testing (breath, blood, or urine)
• Fleeing the scene at any point (before, during, or after an arrest)
• Resisting or refusing to cooperate with a police officer
• An accident involving severe property damage, serious injury, and/or death.

You may already be reeling from the seriousness of multiple DUI charges, especially with compounding factors. However, even those very severe consequences do not represent the full scope of damage a DUI conviction (especially a multiple DUI conviction) can do to a person’s life.  The impact of a DUI conviction is not limited to the legal consequences that you can be sentenced to by a judge or jury. Instead, the impact can be much more widely felt, in many different, intimate, and essential areas of your daily life. These include:

• Employment: If you are convicted of a DUI/DWI, especially a multiple DUI/DWI, you may lose your job. It is especially likely that you will lose your job if you have to serve jail time, attend frequent court dates and related appointments, attend community service or drug/alcohol counseling classes, and/or have a suspended license and cannot reliably get to work. Getting another job may also be difficult, as repeat DUIs are felony convictions.
• Custody: If you are in the process of working through custody arrangements, repeat DUI convictions can be used against you. The same is true for any other legal case in which a person’s reliability, character, and legal standing can be brought into question.
• Immigration: If you are not an American citizen, multiple DUI convictions can seriously hamper your pathway to citizenship, and may even lead to your deportation.
• Social Programs: Multiple DUI convictions can disqualify you for a number of governmental and social programs, including some public housing, scholarships, and grants. If you are currently living in public housing, you may lose your home in the process. This is especially true if your conviction is for a felony.

It may seem unduly grim to go into all of these potential damages that could be done to your life if you are convicted of a multiple offense DUI. However, it is essential to understand what you’re really up against when you face a case like this. Considering the stakes, it is absolutely crucial to have the right attorney on your side from the outset of your case, representing you and fighting for your future.

If you are in Stonington, Connecticut or the surrounding area, Attorney Steven Tomeo is the right attorney for your DUI/DWI case. Attorney Tomeo has the extensive training and experience, the skillset, and the tenacity to get results for his clients. Don’t let a repeat DUI/DWI conviction derail your life. Give yourself the opportunity for a second chance. Don’t wait. Call Steven Tomeo and Associates now for a free consultation at (860) 764-2744.