The St. Patrick’s Day weekend is over. But perhaps not for some. According to the latest numbers, there were 94 DUI arrests in-and-around Pierce, Thurston and King Counties. Snohomish County and Whatcom County are still tallying up their total DUI arrests. In Pierce County 31 arrests, according to the State Patrol, were the result of traffic stops, and 4 were the result of accidents/ collisions. Pursuant to the state statute of Limitations related to DUI’s, prosecutors have up to 2 years from the date of the incident to charge those arrested for DUI. It most likely will not take the full 2 years to file charges, but generally it can take up to 6 months before a court date is set and the case proceeds forward through the criminal court system.
In the meantime, the cited drivers still have to deal with the Department of Licensing and the prospect of losing their Washington State driving privilege. As of January of this year, drivers cited for DUI who either: (1) have a breath test over .08, or (2) refused to provide a breath sample upon lawful request, have 7 days from the incident to request a telephonic hearing with DOL. The request must be accompanied with a payment of $375. Failure to make the request in such a situation will result in an automatic license suspension/ revocation. The time period to request a hearing has steadily decreased over the years. The period used to be 30 days, which was lowered to 20 days, and then finally 7 days. Clearly, the government is not messing around, they require DUI cited drivers to act fast if they want to protect their driving privilege.
If you or a loved one has been arrested for DUI (whether it was on St. Patrick’s day or otherwise) you should immediately contact a Seattle DUI defense attorney. A qualified and respected Seattle DUI lawyer, among other things, can quite possibly save the aggrieved person thousands of dollars in court and insurance fees, the extent of loss of privilege to drive, and the amount of jail time to be served. We have said it before and will say it again, Washington DUI laws are far too complicated for any ol’ attorney to handle. Be smart and consult with a qualified and skilled Seattle DUI attorney when arrested for an alcohol and/or drug related DUI in Washington State. SQ Attorneys is here to help – (206) 441-1600.
