Reputable DUI Attorney for the Edwardsville Illinois Area
What is a DUI?
In the State of Illinois, DUI refers to “Driving Under the Influence.” Drivers can be charged with this if they’re pulled over and found to be influenced by drugs or alcohol. This is determined by blood alcohol concentration or BAC. Your BAC must be at least .08% to be charged, and this distinction can be made by utilizing a breathalyzer. You may also be arrested for suspicion of DUI even if you refuse a breathalyzer test – field sobriety tests are used to make the distinction if you’ve refused a breathalyzer.
You can be arrested for DUI if the concentration of THC in your blood is five nanograms or more, or ten nanograms of another substance within two hours of driving. Additional criminal penalties may apply if the BAC of the driver is over .16%, they damaged property, caused bodily harm to someone else, or is under the legal driving or drinking age in the State of Illinois.
For more information, please check out Illinois’ DUI Fact Book.
What is a DWI?
In the State of Missouri, the term “Driving While Intoxicated” or DWI is used to describe someone that operates a motor vehicle with a BAC at or in excess of .08%. For commercial drivers, they can be charged with DWI if their BAC is at or in excess of .04%.
DUI & DWI Sentences
Illinois DUI Sentences
*The following penalties represent only DUI arrests. Harsher penalties may be involved in arrests that involve aggravated DUI and other escalating charges. For additional information, refer to the Illinois DUI Fact Book.
- Class A Misdemeanor – Possible imprisonment of up to 1 year and/or fines of up to $2,500.
- Class 4 Felony – Possible imprisonment of 1 to 3 years and/or fines of up to $25,000.
- Class 3 Felony – Possible imprisonment of 2 to 5 years and/or fines of up to $25,000.
- Class 2 Felony – Possible imprisonment of 3 to7 tears and/or fines of up to $25,000.
- Class 1 Felony – Possible imprisonment of 4 to 15 years and/or fines of up to $25,000.
- Class X Felony – Possible imprisonment of 6 to 30 years and/or fines of up to $25,000.
Missouri DWI Sentences
*The following penalties represent only DUI arrests. Harsher penalties may be involved in arrests that involve aggravated DUI and other escalating charges. For additional information follow this link.
- First Offense – Possible imprisonment of up to 6 months and/or fines of up to $1,000, and/or 30-day license suspension, and/or installation of ignition interlock device (IID).
- Second Offense – Possible imprisonment of up to 1 year and/or fines of up to $2,000, and/or 5-year license revocation, and/or installation of ignition interlock device for at least 6 months (IID).
- Third Offense – Possible imprisonment of up to 4 years and/or fines of up to $10,000, and/or 5-year license revocation, and/or installation of an ignition interlock device for at least 6 months (IID).
What to do if you’ve been pulled over?
This is a complicated question as laws vary by state and even by county. Unfortunately, there’s no good answer to this. If you’ve been pulled over for DUI, the best advice is to cooperate with the officer or officers that pulled you over. Some law firms will tell you to blow or not to blow, to submit to testing or not to submit to testing. The answers to these questions are murky and best answered by an attorney in that specific instance. If possible, it’s advisable to contact a DUI attorney before answering questions, submitting to testing or submitting to a breathalyzer. If this is not possible, it’s important to cooperate with the officers and avoid confrontation, first and foremost.
What to do if you’ve been charged with DUI or DWI?
If you’ve been pulled over for DUI, usually, you’re not leaving the scene without being arrested. This makes the question of what you should do mute, especially in states like Illinois where refusing or submitting to testing could mean automatic suspensions of a license, fines and more, depending on the situation. If you’ve been arrested for DUI, it’s important to consult a qualified DUI attorney, as soon as possible. Whatever happened at the scene, they’ll know what steps to take next.
We also provide legal assistance to Alton, Collinsville, Granite City, Belleville, and the surrounding areas in Madison County, Illinois.
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