Drunk drivers cause around 30% of vehicle accident fatalities, reports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This explains why Texas imposes such harsh penalties for people convicted of driving while intoxicated (DWI). Penalties are particularly steep for repeat offenders. Those defendants need a DWI attorney in San Antonio.
Penalties
In Texas, first-time DWI offenders often receive a three-day jail sentence. Judges can impose incarceration sentences of up to 180 days for these individuals. A second conviction within a certain time frame has a mandatory 72-hour jail sentence. Judges can increase that to a full year if they believe this is justifiable. A third conviction is a felony.
The Initial Effort
A DWI attorney in San Antonio might direct the initial effort toward having the charges dropped or the case dismissed. This could be possible if there was a problem with the chain of evidence or the police stop.
For example, police are not allowed to stop someone without cause. Seeing someone stagger out of a bar and get behind the wheel is not enough. Either the person must make an error while driving or the vehicle must have a safety issue. Examples of valid issues include the driver stopping for a flashing yellow light or a taillight being burned out.
A Plea Deal
Another possibility is a plea deal with the prosecuting attorney to reduce the DWI charge. Most commonly, the charge is reduced to an offense known as wet reckless. It means reckless driving with alcohol as a factor.
To find more details contact Law Office Of Jesse Hernandez.
