If You Drink Too Much And Drive, On Thanksgiving, What Can Happen?

You are enjoying a lovely Thanksgiving dinner with your family. And, like most, you’re enjoying a few drinks with your meal as you all share stories and tell jokes.

Eventually, the night comes to a close, and you begin driving home. During your drive home, you see a police car, and then you hear that police car’s siren.

You are asked to take a field sobriety test, which, unfortunately, doesn’t go so well. And then, you are asked to take a breathalyzer test. This test leads to a blood alcohol reading of .08.

Even though you were just having fun on Thanksgiving, and even though you are not a criminal, if you are charged with A DUI, then the legal system can treat you like one.

Going over what can happen if you are charged with a DUI in Illinois and contacting a Chicago DUI defense attorney will allow you to obtain the best possible outcome.

If You Receive A DUI, What Happens?

You can be hit with a variety of consequences if you receive a DUI. Some of these consequences are as follows:

• You can be ordered to pay a fine of up to $250,000.
• You can have your license suspended for up to three years and revoked for the rest of your life.
• You can sentenced to up to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Regarding the points outlined above, there are three things you must remember: 

• The minimum fine you may be ordered to pay is $500.  That does not include mandatory Court costs and assessments, which can total thousands of dollars.   
• If thirty days have passed since your license was suspended, you may be able to apply for a monitoring device driving permit, which allows you to drive with a monitoring device. 
• Even if this is your first DUI, If you blow over a .0.16, mandatory jail time may be imposed by the Court.  
• If you are professionally licensed, such as a doctor, a pilot, a dentist, you may lose your ability to earn a living as a result of getting a DUI.  

Outside of what has already been clarified, other factors – if someone else was in the vehicle or your blood alcohol level was higher than .08 – can lead to longer and far stronger consequences.

What Should You Do If You Receive A DUI?

Right after you receive a DUI, there are three things that you absolutely must do. With that in mind, these three things are as follows:

• Memorialize every single fact for your attorney regarding what has happened and how it happened.
• Familiarize yourself with the consequences of a DUI and, in turn, what those consequences could mean for you.
• Contact a DUI defense attorney immediately.

Some of the facts you should memorialize regarding your DUI are as follows:

• The reasons why you were pulled over and tested.
• The location in which you conducted your field sobriety test.
• The location in which you conducted your breathalyzer test.
• The location in which you were arrested.
• The names of those who conducted these tests.
• The name of the officer who arrested you.

Other information can be recorded, such as what the officers said to you and their conduct. However, doing so may not be the best action to take during a stop. Recording during a stop may be considered obstruction or failure to follow a lawful command of an officer. So, paying attention to all of the details that happen during your stop so you can most accurately memorialize the facts to your attorney is recommended. Remember, in terms of recordings, police cars have dash cams, and officers wear body cams that will be on throughout the entire stop.

Last, you should give all of this information to your lawyer so that they can build a defense that protects you.

Get Qualified Legal Help

Any good person can make a mistake on Thanksgiving. Sometimes, these mistakes can lead to DUI charges. 

Even though the legal system may be treating you like a criminal, you are not one. Our legal team at Glasgow & Olsson is here to help protect your innocence and obtain the best legal outcome regarding the DUI charge you are facing.

If you need representation for a DUI charge in Cook County, Glasgow & Olsson is uniquely qualified to help. When you need an attorney experience matters, contact our DUI defense lawyers today to learn how our experience can get you the results you deserve.