Jacksonville Criminal Lawyer Blog
A woman was arrested for DUI (driving under the influence of alcohol) after she allegedly crashed into a police car in St. Augustine, Florida according to an artidle on FirstCoastNews.com. Apparently, the suspect’s mother called the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office out of concern for her daughter. When the St. Johns County police arrived, they saw the suspect speeding down the road. She ultimately crashed into a St. Johns County police car. Apparently, no one was injured, but the vehicles did sustain damage.
When the police have sufficient evidence that a person is driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol, they normally charge the person with DUI. While a first DUI is a misdemeanor, it comes with potentially serious penalties such as a license suspension, a large fine, community service and the possibility of jail time. These penalties get worse as a person gets more DUI’s. When an accident is involved, the charge becomes DUI with property damage, assuming no one is injured in the accident. This is also a misdemeanor but often comes with greater penalties. If there is an accident with a serious injury, the person will likely be charged with a felony. In this case, the possibility of doing some jail or prison time increases. Finally, if there is an accident with a death, the charge is DUI manslaughter, and if the state can prove its case, significant prison time becomes more likely.