La Plata Maryland DUI/DWI Lawyer

If you make a driving mistake a short time after drinking a small amount of alcohol, you could face criminal charges for driving while impaired (DWI) or driving under the influence (DUI), even if you feel perfectly sober. The human body metabolizes alcohol at the same rate, no matter what kind of alcoholic beverages you consume, and even if you drink coffee or eat a meal with just the right combination of carbohydrates, protein, and fat, the only thing that affects the concentration of alcohol that will show up on a blood test or breath test is how much alcohol you consumed and how much time has passed since you drank it. If your blood alcohol content (BAC) is at least 0.04%, you can face criminal charges for DWI, and if it is at least 0.08%, you can get charged with DUI. In either case, a La Plata Maryland DUI lawyer can help you.

Experienced La Plata Maryland DUI Lawyer

Maryland is one of the worst places to get pulled over for a traffic stop after drinking one or two alcoholic beverages. In most states, it is legal to drive after drinking as long as your BAC is less than 0.08; the exception is Utah, where the legal limit is 0.05%. Maryland’s laws are even stricter than that; you can get charged with DWI if your BAC is only 0.04%. Even in an era where possessing a small quantity of cannabis only gets you a citation, driving after drinking only a small quantity of alcohol is a criminal misdemeanor. The penalties for first offense DWI can include paying a $500 fine (compared to the $100 fine you pay for the civil infraction of cannabis possession) and a jail sentence of up to two months. This is why you need a La Plata Maryland DWI law firm.

For first offense DUI, where your BAC is at least 0.08%, you could be in even more trouble, which is why it is so important to hire a La Plata Maryland DUI attorney. Jail time, up to a year to be exact, is an option for a first offense DUI conviction, but even if you do not go to jail, you will lose some of your driving privileges. Maryland law requires the use of ignition interlock devices for all DUI convictions, even first offenses. An ignition interlock device is a breathalyzer installed in your car. You must blow into the device, and it must give you a reading that shows little or no alcohol in your blood, or else the car will not start.

Drunk driving is a serious criminal offense under Maryland law and can result in jail time and driver’s license suspension. The Law Office of Robert R. Castro works on DUI cases and other criminal cases throughout Charles County and southern Maryland. The Law Office of Robert M. Castro is located at 2670 Crain Highway, Waldorf, MD 20601. You can also call us (301)870-1200 or contact us online.