DWI / DUI / OWI

Bryan Bookhard DUI Lawyer

Driving While Intoxicated – means operating or being in physical control of a motor vehicle in the District while your blood alcohol level is .08 or above (.08 for blood and breath and .10 for urine).

If you are under 21 years of age you violate the District’s DWI laws if your blood, breath or urine contains any measurable amount of alcohol.

Driving Under the Influence – means operating or being in physical control of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or any other drug or combination thereof. This means that one is driving an automobile while impaired by alcohol or drugs to an “appreciable degree.”

First Offense: The maximum penalty for first-time DWI or DUI offenders is a fine of $1000 and 180 days in jail. Additional mandatory jail for blood/breath or urine scores:

  • 10 days – blood/breath of .20 to .25, or urine of .25 to .32
  • 15 days – blood/breath of .26 to .30, or urine of .33 to .39
  • 20 days – blood/breath above .30, or urine above .39

Schedule I Drug: If your blood or urine contains a drug such as PCP, heroin, cocaine, morphine, methadone, etc. an additional mandatory fifteen (15) day jail sentence must be imposed.

Second Offense: For a second offense within fifteen years of your first offense, the penalty is a fine of between $2,500 and $5,000 and up to one year in jail – with a mandatory ten (10) day jail sentence. Additional mandatory jail for blood/breath or urine scores:

  • 15 days – blood/breath of .20 to .25, or urine of .25 to .32
  • 20 days – blood/breath of .26 to .30, or urine of .33 to .39
  • 25 days – blood/breath above .30, or urine above .39

Schedule I Drug: If your blood or urine contains a drug such as PCP, heroin, cocaine, morphine, methadone, etc. an additional mandatory twenty (20) day jail sentence must be imposed.

Third Offense: For a third offense within fifteen years of two prior offenses, the penalty is a fine of between $2,500 and $10,000 and up to one year in jail – with a mandatory fifteen day jail sentence. Additional mandatory jail for blood/breath or urine scores:

  • 20 days – blood/breath of .20 to .25, or urine of .25 to .32
  • 25 days – blood/breath of .26 to .30, or urine of .33 to .39
  • 30 days – blood/breath above .30, or urine above .39

Schedule I Drug: If your blood or urine contains a drug such as PCP, heroin, cocaine, morphine, methadone an additional mandatory twenty-five (25) day jail sentence must be imposed.

Operating While Impaired – means operating or being in physical control of a motor vehicle while so affected by the consumption of alcohol that it impaired the ability to operate a motor vehicle in a reasonably careful and prudent manner.

The maximum penalty for first-time OWI offenders is a fine of $500 and 90 days in jail. For a second offense within fifteen years of your first offense, the penalty is a fine of between $1000 and $2500 and up to 1 year in jail – with a mandatory five day jail sentence.

For a third offense within fifteen years of two prior offenses, the penalty is a fine of between $1,000 and $5,000 and up to one year in jail – with a mandatory ten day jail sentence.

The prosecutors and police officers will use driving behavior, chemical breath tests and field sobriety tests (HGN, Walk and Turn, One Leg Stand and other tests) to support their arrests and obtain convictions. The Law Office of Bryan T. Bookhard, LLC is competent in the numerous defenses to challenge the police officer’s determination that a person’s driving behavior was the result of impairment and that an individual’s breath scores and/or performance on field sobriety tests is a determination of the level of impairment.

For experienced representation with your drunk driving defense please contact me or call the office at 301-627-1884.