Westminster’s criminal courts do not go easy on people accused of hit-and-runs and DUIs. Unfortunately, the compounding of these charges can leave you facing significant fines on top of prolonged imprisonment and the suspension or loss of your license. If you want to defend yourself, you need a Westminster hit-and-run DUI lawyer on your side.
Working with a Westminster DUI lawyer allows you to challenge both of these charges. Fortunately, at Los Angeles DUI Lawyer, we can connect you with an experienced legal professional, protect your rights, and prevent the prosecution from putting your future at risk.
It’s time to work with a criminal defense attorney who wants to prioritize your well-being. Let Los Angeles DUI Lawyer put you in touch with a lawyer who understands how California’s criminal system works.
When Should You Contact a Westminster DUI Hit and Run Lawyer?
You have the right to an attorney and the right to remain silent upon your arrest after an alleged hit-and-run DUI. We encourage you to contact Los Angeles DUI Lawyer and request support from an experienced Westminster hit-and-run DUI attorney as soon as possible.
Police officers will not hesitate to use your own words against you if you try to talk yourself out of trouble upon your arrest. Working with an attorney makes it easier to protect yourself from the dual charges that come when you’re accused of a hit-and-run while intoxicated.
California’s criminal courts have the right to accuse you of a hit-and-run DUI if you appear to have a blood alcohol content (BAC) above 0.08% (or 0.04%, if you’re in a commercial vehicle) and you allegedly flee the scene of a collision. Again, these are dual charges, and you must contest both if you want to keep them off your criminal record.
Prosecutors and Their Burden of Proof After Hit-and-Run DUIs
California prosecutors who want to charge you with a hit-and-run DUI have a legal obligation to bring forward enough evidence to argue that you violated the state’s BAC limits and that you knowingly left the scene of an accident.
It’s not necessarily easy for the prosecution to find the evidence needed to move these charges forward, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t pursue representation from a private attorney. An experienced criminal defense lawyer can poke holes in the prosecution’s attempts to charge you.
What Are the Consequences of a Hit and Run DUI?
If you’re convicted of a hit-and-run DUI, the consequences of both accusations compound on one another, leaving you to face considerable fines and jail time.
The amount of jail time you face will vary based on the severity of the accident you allegedly fled from, in addition to your existing criminal history, as applicable, and any injuries sustained by victims. The same can be said of your fines. The state may additionally require you to participate in mandatory alcohol education programs while suspending your license.
In some cases, California’s criminal courts may also require you to invest in an ignition interlock device at your own cost, making your consequences even more expensive. On a personal level, a conviction may see you lose your job and struggle to find employment or housing in the future.
Injuries and Deaths Can Complicate Your Charges
California’s Vehicle Code Section 20001 notes that accidents resulting in serious injuries may see you face up to one year of jail time in county jail or state prison, depending on an accident’s severity. You may also have to pay upwards of $10,000.
If you’re convicted of a hit-and-run that results in the death of another party, you can expect the state to add up to five years to your prison sentence.
You can expect the court to go into detail about the consequences you may face for your alleged misconduct during your arraignment, at which point your hit-and-run DUI attorney in Westminster can challenge undue accusations and cultivate your defense.
How to Prevent a License Suspension
California’s DMV has the right to suspend your license after an alleged hit-and-run accident. If you want to preserve your access to your license during your criminal trial, you need to request a DMV safety administrative hearing within ten days of your arrest. If you don’t, the DMV will automatically suspend your license.
In the case of a hit-and-run DUI, you will have to challenge the DMV’s attempts to suspend your license on two fronts, as you will be facing two separate charges. Fortunately, working with an attorney gives you a better chance to argue that the facts of your case have been misrepresented, thereby making it easier to preserve your driving privileges.
If the DMV does suspend your license, your legal representative can argue that you have the right to operate on a restricted license. California’s restricted licenses allow you to drive to school, work, and the courthouse, but otherwise restrict your right to travel under your own power.
How to Make Your Hit and Run DUI Defense Easier
Defending against a DUI gets easier when you have an experienced attorney on your side, but you’ll want to make that connection quickly after your arrest. An attorney’s early involvement in your case can prevent evidence key to your case from disappearing and can ensure that police officers don’t have any opportunities to misrepresent the facts of your arrest.
If you have medical conditions that may impact your well-being while in police care, like diabetes, epilepsy, or head injuries, you can inform law enforcement as such, as well as request documentation of those conditions. Afterward, invoke your right to an attorney and your right to remain silent immediately upon your arrest.
Do not speak to the police about your accident without an attorney, but do what you can to cooperate with law enforcement. Any attempt to argue with officers can result in accusations of resisting arrest or injuring an officer, which can compound the charges brought against you.
Raising the Right Defense Against Hit-and-Run DUI Accusations
The defense you craft against hit-and-run DUI charges will vary based on the circumstances that led to your arrest but may include:
- Incorrect interpretations of your behavior behind the wheel
- Inaccurate BAC readings
- Faulty or biased field sobriety tests
- Officer bias upon your arrest
- Failure to read you your rights upon your arrest
- Failure to respect your rights upon your arrest
- Inappropriate handling of biometric evidence that’s key to your case
- Medical conditions that impact your perceived BAC
- Lack of intent
Let Los Angeles DUI Lawyer Connect You With an Experienced Attorney
Dual hit-and-run and DUI charges can leave you in a lurch if you let them go unchallenged. You want to be protected from prolonged imprisonment, significant fines, and reduced driving rights, among other consequences.
The best way of advocating for yourself is by getting in touch with a hit-and-run DUI attorney in Westminster, CA, sooner rather than later.
Early conversations with an experienced criminal defense lawyer ensure that the prosecution can’t take advantage of your stress and confusion in the wake of your arrest. The legal professionals in our network are here to protect your right to fair treatment and to challenge attempts to misrepresent your behavior at the scene of an accident.
Let Los Angeles DUI Lawyer put you in touch with a legal representative today. You have the right to comprehensive support.
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