What if I Committed a Hit-and-Run While Driving Drunk?
If you were involved in a hit-and-run accident, you could be facing serious legal consequences. But, when you were also drunk driving, you will more than likely be subject to far worse penalties.
A criminal record and other ramifications are sure to have a devastating impact on your life, but an experienced criminal justice lawyer may be able to help you through this difficult time. You can learn more about the various consequences for both an OWI and a hit-and-run below.
Indiana Penalties for an OWI
If you are arrested for operating your vehicle while intoxicated, once law enforcement determines that you were the driver who fled the scene of the car accident, you could be sentenced to a one-year license suspension, a $5,000 fine, the installation of an ignition interlock device (IID), and a maximum one-year prison sentence.
Now, the number of prior OWI offenses, as well as your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels can influence the extent of these penalties, so your lawyer will need to carefully review the details of your case to give you a better idea of how serious the penalties you’re facing are for drunk driving.
Consequences You’ll Face for a Hit-And-Run
By Indiana law, you are required to stop at the scene when you’ve been involved in a car accident. For leaving the scene, you can be charged with a Class A misdemeanor, which carries most of the same consequences described for an OWI. However, because you were drunk driving, you could be charged with a level 6 felony.
In fact, if you caused serious bodily injury to anyone in the vehicle you struck, it’s quite probable that you’ll be facing felony charges. If convicted, you could spend up to three years in prison, pay $10,000 in fines, and be subject to other penalties.
Reach Out to a Criminal Justice Lawyer in Terre Haute
As can be seen, there are severe punishments for committing a hit-and-run while drunk driving. But regardless of your guilt, you have the right to defend yourself.
Your Terre Haute criminal defense lawyer at Rowdy G. Williams Law Firm can assist you by working with the prosecutor to reduce your consequences or even obtain an acquittal in some cases. If you are interested in scheduling a free consultation, give our office a call at 1-812-232-7400 or fill out the online contact form below.
