Police in West Virginia recently arrested a man they say was intoxicated and passed out behind the wheel of his car. This individual is facing multiple DUI-related charges and other accusations with regard to the incident. He was also charged for shoplifting, which was unrelated to this particular matter.
On Aug. 10 in Martinsburg, police claim to have found a 28-year-old male passed out in his car which was parked next to a gas pump. A trooper with the West Virginia State Police says that this individual was difficult to wake and, upon wakening supposedly refused to comply with the officer's requests. According to the trooper, this individual also admitted to driving under the influence.
The accused was arrested and charged with a number of things, including a third offense DUI and obstruction. Preliminary court proceedings have already taken place. It is unknown if this gentleman is currently being held by authorities or if he has been released pending further proceedings.
Having multiple drunk driving convictions on one's record can carry significant penalties in West Virginia. In fact, if convicted for a third offense -- which would apparently result if the DUI charges in this case also result in a finding of guilt -- jail terms can last from one to three years and fines can range from $3,000 to $5,000. Either or both of these consequences, along with a license suspension can have a dramatic impact on the life of the individual affected. In order to help fight accusations of impaired driving, reviewing police records and questioning any evidence may prove beneficial to the accused in court. Depending on the findings in one's case, with the assistance of an experienced criminal defense attorney it may be possible to seek a dismissal of the charges or work to achieve alternative sentencing if a conviction is obtained by the prosecution.
Source: heraldmailmedia.com, "W.Va. man passed out in vehicle faces DUI charges", Matthew Umstead, Aug. 10, 2015