You have a stressful job. You work long hours in construction or at an automotive repair shop. After an exhausting week of work, you are ready to kick back and relax. You often head out to a local bar and have a few drinks with your friends. Yet one Friday night, you get a little carried away. You have more than a couple beers and police stop you as you are driving home. Before you know it, you are arrested for drunk driving.
You don’t know what will happen if you receive a DWI conviction. Will you have to spend time in jail?
DWI penalties in Texas
In Texas, you may have to spend time in jail for a driving while under the influence (DWI) conviction – even if this is your first offense. Here are the potential penalties you will face for a DWI:
First offense
- Paying a $2,000 fine
- Spending a mandatory three days in jail, possibly up to 180 days
- Losing your driver’s license for a year
Second offense
- Paying up to $4,000 in fines
- Spending between one month to one year in jail
- Losing your driver’s license for up to two years
Third offense
- Paying a $10,000 fine
- Spending between two to 10 years in prison
- Losing your driver’s license for up to two years
These penalties don’t include a state fine of $3,000, $4,500 or $6,000 you will receive upon sentencing. You will receive additional penalties if you had a child with you in your vehicle when police arrested you for drunk driving.
When facing DWI charges
If you are facing drunk driving charges in Texas, you need to contact an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. If a breathalyzer test led to your arrest, the test could have been inaccurate. Police could have stopped you without a sufficient reason. An attorney can review your case to see if you can get your DWI charges reduced or dropped.
You have rights – even after a drunk driving arrest. By working with an attorney, you can take the proper steps to mount a defense against the charges you face and possibly avoid a conviction.