Felony DUI Charges

Do you think felons are always scary people? Do you picture felons with an oil covered denim jacket, similarly coated long hair and carrying a motorcycle chain to settle an argument? Do you assume that all felonies are of the dangerous, violent type? If so, you are probably now thinking, “Well, felonies are crimes like murder, armed robbery, rape, assault – stuff like that.” It is of course true that all of the listed crimes are felonies.

But, maybe you are now thinking, “But I never need to worry about that. I’m not one of those people. The most that can be said about me is that I’ve sometimes been caught driving after having one to many.” This is where your thoughts and assumptions have betrayed you. You may now ask, “How?”

If you have four prior DUI convictions within a 10-year period, and you are arrested a fifth time in Washington state even if the priors have been reduced from DUI charges, you will face felony DUI charges. You may also face felony charges if you have a prior conviction for vehicular assault or vehicular homicide that is DUI-related. Any time you are facing felony charges, you should contact an attorney for assistance as soon as possible.

So, as you now see, and maybe are experiencing, felons are not always scary people with stereotypical looks. Sometimes they turn out to be you. Sometimes felonies are not the crimes that terrify most people; sometimes they are less than wise decisions about drunk driving and sometimes they are just accusations of such behavior. Because whether you are innocent or guilty of the charges you will be facing felony charges if this is a fifth charge after four priors. What you then find out then is that, even though felons and felonies may not necessarily be scary, facing felony charges always is.

At The Law Offices of Smith and White, PLLC, our lawyers offer a free initial consultation to discuss your case. With a main office in Tacoma, WA, our attorneys handle felony DUI in Pierce, Kitsap, Thurston and King County.

Defending You From Felony DUI Charges

Any time you are charged with DUI and have prior DUI convictions, the penalties increase substantially. For a fifth conviction, you face a minimum of 22 to 29 months in prison (all your previous DUIs, even though not felonies, count as felony points for the sentencing grid). The maximum prison sentence is five years. You also face up to a $10,000 fine. As a convicted felon, you will lose certain civil rights such as the right to vote and own firearms. You will be unable to expunge or clear the conviction from your record, so finding employment after you are released from prison will not be easy.

To protect you from life-changing consequences, it is vital for your attorney to challenge every aspect of the state’s case against you, including:

• The legality of the stop and arrest
• The admissibility of the field sobriety and Breathalyzer tests

There are hundreds of technical defenses in a DUI case, and it is vital to have a veteran defense attorney represent you. Our goal is to win as many concessions as possible on motions to suppress evidence.

Contact Our Tacoma Multiple DUI / Felony DUI Defense Lawyers

To discuss your case with our Tacoma felony DUI defense lawyers, call Call or send us an e-mail through this website. We will arm you with the information you need to make sound decisions about your case. Call or e-mail the law office of Smith & White, PLLC – your free case analysis awaits you.