Fresno Drunk Driving Offenses
Fresno DUI first offense
A drunk driving arrest in Fresno is a very serious matter. It can happen to virtually anyone, because Fresno DUI stops are a priority for Fresno law enforcement. Even a Fresno DUI first offense will start with hauling you off to jail and confiscating your license. You receive a pink “Suspension Order and Temporary License” paper that will serve as your license until your DMV hearing.
However, this DMV hearing does not happen automatically. The Fresno DUI offender must officially request this hearing within ten calendar days of the incident. Otherwise, the automatic result of a first Fresno DUI arrest is the loss of your license for six months. Therefore, it is absolutely critical to engage a skillful drunk driving defense attorney in Fresno immediately by calling the Law Office of Rick Berman & Eric Schweitzer. We will make sure you get a fair DMV hearing and fight for you to keep your license.
Another reason to call a Fresno DUI lawyer immediately is that the DMV hearing is only the first of two that you must face for Fresno DUI charges. The second is a criminal hearing where possible jail time and fines are determined. Accidents, a resulting death or serious injury, leaving the scene, or refusing to take a chemical test for blood alcohol concentration (BAC), can make the penalty much worse.
Fresno DUI penalties
Fresno DUI second offense and Fresno DUI third offense penalties are obviously more serious than those for a Fresno DUI first offense.
- First DUI offense in Fresno: 96 hours to six months county jail time, a fine of $390 to $1,000, six months license suspension
- Second DUI offense in Fresno (within 10 years): 90 days to one year county jail time, a fine of $390 to $1,000, two year license suspension
- Third DUI offense in Fresno (within 10 years): 120 days to one year county jail time, a fine of $390 to $1,000, three year license suspension
- Fourth DUI offence in Fresno (within 10 years): 180 days to one year county jail time, a fine of $390 to $1,000, four year license suspension
To contest the escalating sentences shown above, which do not include potential additional penalties for any aggravating circumstances, it is imperative to contact an experienced Fresno DUI attorney such as those at the Law Office of Rick Berman & Eric Schweitzer.
