A DUI for drug-related impairment is a charge will be prosecuted, especially in regards to marijuana here in Alexandria. DUI for drugs is known colloquially as a DUID, driving under the influence of drugs. The way that they prove this case is they say a person was driving under the influence of drugs to a degree that impairs their ability to safely operate a motor vehicle or they have a particular amount of certain types of drugs in their system.
If a person has a certain amount of cocaine, meth, PCP, or other drugs in their system, at that point, that is comparable to the 0.08 BAC limit in an alcohol-related DUI. For cocaine, for example, there is a 0.02 milligram limit of cocaine. If a person has a certain amount in their system then they are automatically presumed to be driving to a degree that impairs the ability to drive.
Since the law in Virginia states that a person is under the influence of a drug to a degree that impairs their ability to safely operate a motor vehicle, any drug can fall under that definition, even over-the-counter drugs. If it is a legal drug, it is going to be difficult because the case will be more open for interpretation than with blood alcohol levels or harder drugs. Many drug-related DUIs are open to interpretation in the state of Virginia. An Alexandria DUI drug lawyer knows the circumstances involved in a DUID charge. Contact an experienced lawyer today.
The penalties of a drug DUI are the same as a regular DUI, under the same DUI statute. Then penalties are up to 12 months in jail and up to a $2,500.00 fine, ASAP classes, the alcohol safety or substance abuse program, and ignition interlock if the person decides to drive on a restricted license while their license is suspended for a year.
A qualified Alexandria DUI drug lawyer will know more about the instances of a drug DUI penalty in Alexandria.
Situations that arise from a driving impairment due to drugs or alcohol requires an answer to a series of questions. Did the driver know that the drugs were in their system? Should they have known? Were they behaving recklessly? Did they drink or take drugs, but did not believe they were impaired enough to be pulled over? The cases vary.
When the defendant takes a breathalyzer and states that they had a drug in their system, the prosecutor will often try to make an educated guess as to what type of interaction it had and what level they had in their system.
It is important to contact an experienced Alexandria drug DUI lawyer when facing these charges because drug DUIs are difficult to navigate. They require different types of proof. The prosecutors have to take a different type of approach in order to convict somebody of a drug DUI.
A person will be more reassured with an attorney that has worked with a drug DUI case previously. They will know arguments and the evidence needed to try to provide the best outcome for a person. See what you can do by contacting a professional Alexandria DUI drug lawyer today.