An hour south of Denver, a Colorado man faces the possibility of 6 years in prison after arrested for what is reportedly his ninth drinking and driving offense. The 53-year-old El Paso County man was taken into custody after getting into a traffic accident shortly after 10 p.m.
If convicted of felony DUI, he could also face a fine of $500,000. He was also charged with driving without auto insurance and without a valid driver’s license, according to a newspaper report.
The felony DUI law went into effect last month. Anyone convicted of a fourth or subsequent drunken driving charge faces up to 6 years in state prison.
The felony drunk driving proposal was submitted several times to the state legislature in previous years, always rejected on grounds it would be expensive and that sending people with alcohol problems to prison is not an effective way to address repeat DUI offenders. Some legislators argued that better treatment programs made more sense, but Gov. John Hickenlooper and a growing number of lawmakers finally got their wish earlier this year when the bill passed.
While many people will readily acknowledge that prison is a poor substitute for effective substance abuse treatment, the reality is that people charged with multiple DUIs now face potential incarceration. The fight to maintain your freedom begins with your choice of criminal defense lawyer.
The skilled attorneys of the law offices of Shazam Kianpour & Associates, P.C. are prepared to vigorously contest breath test results, improper police procedure and a prosecutor’s argument that you belong behind bars. Please see our Denver Felony DUI Attorneys page for more information.