In the state of Texas, you could be charged with the crime of driving while intoxicated (DWI) if a law enforcement officer suspects that your normal mental and/or physical faculties have been impaired by the consumption of alcohol or drugs – including prescription medications. In fact, it must only be proven that a) your blood-alcohol concentration was measured at .08% or greater, b) your normal mental faculties were impaired by alcohol or drugs or c) your normal physical faculties were impaired by alcohol or drugs. While it can be easy to dispute the validity of a breath, blood or urine test, it may be much more difficult for you to prove that your mental or physical faculties were not impaired at the time of your arrest.
For this reason, it is highly recommended that you retain the help of a Fort Worth criminal attorney from The Law Office of Samuel R. Terry, P.C. as soon as you have been arrested for DWI. In doing so, you may be able to successfully contest your charges. As recreational prescription drug use continues to rise throughout the country, so does the number of arrests involving DWI and drugs. Fortunately for you, law enforcement does not yet have a well-developed way to quantify the amount of drugs in a driver's system. For this reason, it can be difficult for the prosecution to prove that prescriptions drugs have, in fact, impaired your ability to operate a motor vehicle. Even so, you should not attempt to fight these charges alone.
If convicted of a drug-related DWI offense, you could face the following legal penalties:
- First Offense (Class B Misdemeanor): Up to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine
- Second Offense (Class A Misdemeanor): Up to 1 year in jail and a $4,000 fine
- Third Offense (Third-Degree Felony): Up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine
Have you been charged with a DWI pertaining to prescription drug use? If so, you should not hesitate to discuss your case with the Fort Worth criminal defense lawyer at our firm. Not only are we available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to take your call, but your initial consultation won't cost you a thing when you contact our office at (817) 756-1817. That being said, there is no reason why you should wait any longer to take action in the interest of your defense. Our firm is ready to provide you with the aggressive defense that you will need, but it is up to you to take the first step. Call today or submit a free case evaluation form online to learn more about how the Law Office of Samuel R. Terry, P.C. can help.