Aggravated OWI/DUI Cases
By now most people know that you can be arrested for drunk driving if you have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) above 0.08. That’s not the full extent of it, however. It’s possible to be charged with a more serious form of drunk driving. This is known as aggravated OWI/DUI.
If you have been charged with an aggravated OWI/DUI in Wisconsin, attorneys Andrew Mishlove and Lauren Stuckert can help. Let’s go over the basics of aggravated drunk and intoxicated driving charges and how a skilled OWI/DUI lawyer can help you.
What Is an Aggravated OWI/DUI?
An aggravated OWI/DUI essentially means that a person was operating a vehicle while intoxicated in such a way that made the situation more dangerous. Since aggravated OWI/DUI involves situations that are potentially more dangerous, the penalties for aggravated OWI/DUI are much higher.
Circumstances That Lead to an Aggravated OWI/DUI
In Wisconsin, the following circumstances can result in an aggravated OWI/DUI charge:
- You have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.15 or greater
- A minor (person under the age of 16) is in the vehicle with you and you have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) above the legal limit of 0.08
- You had a BAC of 0.08 or higher and caused an injury or death in an auto collision
- You have multiple OWI/DUI convictions in your past
There are other situations that could result in an aggravated OWI/DUI charge. The above covers the most common reasons why someone is charged with an aggravated OWI/DUI rather than a normal OWI/DUI.
Penalties for an Aggravated OWI/DUI
Penalties for an aggravated OWI/DUI will be more severe than those from a regular intoxicated driving charge. This means higher fines, longer driver’s license revocation, and longer incarceration times. In a regular OWI/DUI charge, you typically do not have an ignition interlock device placed for a first offense. For aggravated OWI/DUI, an ignition interlock device is usually placed.
The nature of your drunk driving arrest and driving history will determine the full extent and nature of your legal penalties. In a number of cases, penalties were doubled or nearly doubled in aggravated OWI/DUI compared to normal OWI/DUI charges.
How an OWI/DUI Attorney Can Help
Severe penalties like the ones noted above can change your life and your livelihood in numerous ways. That’s why it’s important that you work with skilled Wisconsin drunk driving lawyers on your case. Our law firm can go over the circumstances of your case and make sure you were given a fair shake by law enforcement.
If there was no probable cause for being pulled over or the officer did not follow proper procedure, you could have penalties reduced or dropped. That’s why it’s worth discussing your OWI/DUI charge with a defense attorney who is both honest and insightful.
Contact Mishlove & Stuckert, LLC
If you or someone you care about has been charged with an aggravated OWI/DUI and you want to learn more about your legal options, be sure to contact our team of attorneys. You can reach the lawyers of Mishlove & Stuckert, LLC at our office in Milwaukee by calling (414) 206-6918 and at our office in Waukesha by calling (262) 207-4527.