Driving Under the Influence (DUI) is charged in Fort Collins and Larimer County when a person is accused of having drugs or alcohol in their system while operating a vehicle and the substance(s) is influencing their ability to drive. Just like with most holiday weekends, during this most recent Superbowl weekend, law enforcement ups the ante and increases patrol specifically looking for drunk drivers. Superbowl weekend is one of 16 Colorado DUI enforcement periods. This particular weekend resulted in 175 arrests, which was actually fewer than the Superbowl weekend the year before. According to the article, 6 of those arrests occurred in Larimer County.
Larimer County DUI Attorney: Definition of Driving Under the Influence on Superbowl Weekend
The Larimer County, Colorado law definition of Driving Under the Influence – C.R.S. 42-4-1301 – is:
Statutorily, if a person has a BAC of .08 or higher, then they are considered under the influence and will be charged with this crime. The hard part is that the results aren’t immediate. So, an officer tries to get probable cause by noting any bad driving and then trying to get the driver to participate in voluntary roadside maneuvers. After an arrest is when the official blood or breath test will be taken. Usually, you have a choice, however, if the officer suspects the impairment is due to drug use, then you will have to do a blood test.
Sentence for DUI in Loveland and Estes Park
In Fort Collins, Loveland, and Estes Park, Driving Under the Influence is charged based on the number of offenses. So, a first time offense carries a sentencing range of 5 days to 1 year in the Larimer County Jail and 48 – 96 hours of community service. A second offense carries a sentencing range of 10 days to 1 year in jail and 48 – 120 hours of community service. A third offense carries an even more severe sentence and then a fourth offense becomes a felony, which can be punished by a sentence to prison.
If you or someone you love has been arrested for Driving Under the Influence, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the best criminal defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-658-0007 to schedule your free initial consultation today. Together, we can protect your future.
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