When you get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol, you are putting innocent drivers and pedestrians on the roads in extreme danger. What may make matters worse is if you have your defenseless, minor child in the passenger seat of your vehicle while you are driving under the influence (DUI). The New Jersey criminal court usually practices zero tolerance when it comes to DUI offenses, but this may aggravate the already hefty penalties potentially against you. With all that being said, please continue reading to learn what happens if you get charged with a DUI with a minor present and how an experienced Morristown DUI defense lawyer at Graves Andrews, LLC, can help alleviate the critical matters at hand.
What happens if I get charged with a DUI when I have a minor in the vehicle?
Say you operated a motor vehicle on a public roadway with a blood-alcohol content (BAC) level of 0.08 percent or higher. Further, say you had a minor child in the vehicle who was 17 years old or younger and who you were legally responsible for. Nonetheless, this may be charged as a disorderly persons offense in the state of New Jersey, and the potential penalties are as follows:
- A fine of up to $1,000.
- A sentence to a county jail for up to six months.
- A driver’s license suspension for at least six months.
- Court-ordered community service for up to five days.
Of note, these penalties are more intense than a standard first-offense DUI. Specifically, this is typically a $500 fine, 30 days in county jail, and a driver’s license suspension until you install an ignition interlock device in your vehicle.
What other possible offenses might heighten my DUI penalties?
There may be other aggravating factors surrounding your DUI incident that may prompt the New Jersey criminal court to extend the severity of your imposed penalties. Below are more specific examples of such:
- Your BAC level was measured at 0.15 percent or higher at the time of your incident.
- You drove with a suspended or revoked driver’s license at the time of your incident.
- You were under the legal drinking age of 21 at the time of your incident.
- This is your second or third time committing this criminal offense.
- Your reckless driving resulted in an auto accident that caused injuries and/or fatalities.
- You refused to submit to a breathalyzer test at the time of your traffic stop.
- You refused to participate in field sobriety tests at the time of your stop.
If you require further clarification on this issue, a skilled Morristown criminal defense lawyer from Graves Andrews, LLC is willing to offer it. So please do not hesitate to seek out our services. We look forward to helping you.
