What Are the Penalties for DUI with Serious Bodily Injury?
By Jonathan Blecher on May 23, 2018
Under Section 316.193 of the Florida Statutes, it’s against the law to drive under the influence of alcoholic beverages,
controlled substances, or chemical substances. Generally, a first DUI without “aggravating circumstances” is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not to exceed $2,000 (depending on blood alcohol level), up to six months in jail, DUI School, and up to a one-year license revocation.
The above penalties apply to defendants who did not cause serious bodily injuries. If an intoxicated driver causes a crash which results in serious bodily injuries to another person, such as their own passenger, the other driver or one of their passengers, a pedestrian, or a bicyclist, the defendant will face enhanced penalties, even if it’s their first DUI offense.
What Penalties Do I Face?
Suppose you were under the influence of drugs or alcohol and you caused a crash which ended up seriously injuring another driver on the road. In that case, what types of penalties would you now be facing?
- Third degree felony
- Fine up to $5,000
- Up to five years in prison
In Miami and throughout Florida and the rest of the nation, people drink and drive all the time. Unfortunately, few people understand the DUI laws and how alcohol affects their driving ability. What a lot of people fail to realize is that even buzzed driving is considered drunk driving. They’ll drink and wait a few hours, drink coffee, or eat a high-protein meal and think they’re okay to drive when in fact, they’re not.
Related: Florida DUI Penalties
All too often, such individuals will cause an accident and injure someone else entirely by accident because the alcohol caused their judgement to be impaired. As a result, these normal, everyday people with jobs and families depending on them will face third-degree felony charges for seriously injuring another person – this can be devastating not only to them, but to their loved ones.
If you’re facing felony DUI charges, contact my firm immediately for a free consultation. To learn about my professional accomplishments and credentials, click here.
