Penalties When a DWUI Causes an Accident

Being involved in an accident while driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a serious criminal offense that can carry enhanced penalties. If you are convicted, the punishment can be severe, especially if someone was injured or killed.

To defend yourself, you need assistance from a skilled and experienced DWUI defense team with a proven record of success. Led by founding attorney and former Campbell County prosecutor Christina L. Williams, the DWUI defense team at Just Criminal Law has the skill, experience, and expertise to help you navigate the complexities of a DWUI accident charge. We will carefully investigate the circumstances of your arrest, provide expert guidance and legal advice, and work to achieve an optimal resolution in your case.

To put our experience to work for you, contact Just Criminal Law's DWUI accident defense team today.

Penalties for a DWUI Accident Conviction

Causing an accident while under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a serious criminal offense that can carry substantial penalties if convicted. The severity of the penalties depends on the seriousness of the accident and whether anyone was injured or killed.

• Misdemeanor DWUI. If an accident occurred but no one was injured or killed, you will likely face misdemeanor DWUI charges. Penalties for a misdemeanor DWUI conviction include up to 6 months in jail, a $750 fine, and a 90-day driver’s license suspension.
• DUI with Injury. If someone was injured in a DWUI accident, you will likely face felony DWUI charges. Penalties for a felony DWUI that causes bodily injury include up to 10 years in prison, fines of $2,000 to $5,000, a driver’s license revocation, and mandatory installation of an Ignition Installation Device (IID).
• DUI with Death. When a drunk driving accident causes the death of another person, you may be charged with vehicular homicide or manslaughter. These charges carry severe penalties, including substantial fines and lengthy prison sentences.

DWUI Accident Investigations

In most drunk driving cases, the police observed something about you or your driving that caused them to believe you were under the influence of drugs or alcohol. DWUI accident cases are different because the police were likely called to the scene after the accident. Before they can ask you to submit to a breath test or field sobriety tests, they must have probable cause to believe you were under the influence.

If you submit to a breath, blood, or urine test and it shows your Blood Alcohol Content was about the legal limit, this may be the only evidence the police can use to try to convict you. If you refuse the test, you face a mandatory driver’s license suspension.

Defending Against DWUI Accident Charges

Most defenses against DWUI accident charges address the underlying drunk driving charge. Our DWUI defense team will independently investigate the charges against you and mount an aggressive defense that challenges the results of the Field Sobriety Tests and the accuracy of blood, breath, or urine tests used to determine your Blood Alcohol Content (BAC).

Field Sobriety Tests

Police officers conduct Field Sobriety Tests (FSTs) to assess whether a suspect is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. They commonly include the one-leg stand, the horizontal gaze nystagmus (HGN) test, and the walk-and-turn. While police and prosecutors want you to believe these tests are infallible, they are rarely based in science, are heavily influenced by the police officer’s subjective opinion of your performance, and are intended to provide information the arresting officer can use to describe your alleged state of intoxication.

Our DWUI defense team can use the shortcomings of these tests to challenge their accuracy and reliability and, ultimately, call into question whether you were under the influence of drugs or alcohol. There are common problems with these tests and how they are administered. Our lawyers can identify these shortcomings and use them to try to have the test results excluded or address them during cross-examination of the arresting officer.

BAC Tests

If you submitted to a blood, breath, or urine test and it showed your BAC was above the legal limit, the prosecutor will use this evidence to try to convict you. Our lawyers can seek to have the BAC test results excluded by challenging the reliability of the test results.

How Our DWUI Accident Defense Team Can Help

A Wyoming DWUI accident charge is serious, and the penalties for a conviction are severe. Protect yourself by contacting the experienced DWUI defense team at Just Criminal Law. We will carefully analyze your circumstances, investigate and raise all potential defenses, and provide valuable legal advice and guidance based on decades of combined experience working in the Wyoming criminal legal system.

Contact the DWUI Accident Defense Team at Just Criminal Law

If you are facing DWUI accident charges, contact the DWUI defense team at Just Criminal Law today to schedule your personalized case review and strategy session.

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this article is offered for educational purposes only. This information is not offered as legal advice. A person accused of a crime should always consult with an attorney before making decisions that have legal consequences.