Types Of Serious DUI Cases In California

There are nearly 200,000 DUI arrests each year in California. While many of these are first-time offenders, some are also charged with more severe types of California DUI. These types come with more severe penalties.

There are three main types of serious DUI charges:

1. Second, third or fourth-time offense. Charged for cases of multiple convictions within a ten-year period, this type of DUI comes with jail sentences up to 1-year, 2-year license suspension, and more.
2. Felony DUI with injury. Charged when a drunk driver causes an accident that injures another person, whether they are a passenger, another driver, or a pedestrian. Penalties may include years in prison.
3. Vehicular manslaughter. Charged in cases when a drunk driver is responsible for an accident that kills another person. The most severe possible charge, vehicular manslaughter (a type of homicide) carries a significant prison term as punishment.

No matter the type of DUI you or a loved one has been charged with, it is important that you contact a Ventura criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. An experienced DUI lawyer can help you investigate the arrest, enter a plea, and avoid conviction in your case.

However, if you have been charged with a serious DUI, such as felony or manslaughter charge, it is that much more important that you retain a lawyer. The higher stakes, given the prison term punishments that you face if convicted, make an experienced attorney on your side a must.

If you or someone you know fears being convicted of one of these types of serious DUI, whether it is a multiple-offense DUI, felony DUI with injury, or vehicular manslaughter related to a drunk driving accident, call the Ventura criminal defense attorneys at Bamieh & Erickson today.

Ron Bamieh is well known and well respected in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, having appeared on shows like Dateline, Cold Case Unit, TMZ, Fox News, Bill O'Reilly, ABC, and a variety of local stations to discuss his work. Call us today at (805) 585-3638 to learn more.