Defense of Suffolk County DWI, DWAI and BWI Charges
Year after year, you'd think that the state assembly had nothing better to do than to pass more complicated and severe drunk driving laws. Legal options for resolving DWI or BWI charges on favorable terms just a few years ago are no longer available. This means that now more than ever, you should consider an experienced trial lawyer to handle your DWI defense.
Contact the Long Island law firm of Anthony M. Parlatore, Attorney at Law to learn about your best options for resolving a charge of driving or boating while intoxicated. Your defense might well turn out to be stronger than you'd guess.
We know how to attack evidence of unlawful blood alcohol concentration
Your blood alcohol concentration, or BAC, is often the key to your DWI case. If your BAC falls between .08 and .10, you will probably be charged with DWAI, or driving while ability impaired, which isn't even a misdemeanor under New York law. If your case is properly handled by a skilled defense lawyer, you can reasonably expect no serious sanction or continuing consequences for a first offense DWAI.
For BAC readings a few ticks over .10, and assuming you have no prior drunk driving convictions in New York State or elsewhere, we can often use our knowledge of toxicology forensics to plead to a DWAI, if we can convince the DA that we can cast doubt on the evidence of a higher BAC.
If you blew a .15 or higher, you're looking at serious problems and aggravated DWI charges. Your options to negotiate the case to a DWAI are pretty much gone unless we can challenge such circumstances as the initial traffic stop or the operation of the Intoxilyzer machine. Once in a while we can find a way to use your own body chemistry to shave a few points off the BAC reading, but in an aggravated DWI case, it will be all we can do to save your driver's license or get you a break on the one-year suspension.
Prior DWI or out-of-state DUI convictions can expose you to felony charges
Recent changes to New York DWI law make any prior drunk driving conviction within the last ten years grounds for charging the current offense as a felony. Our approach to your defense will depend on the facts of the case. Drunk driving or boating accidents that result in injury or death can also be charged as felonies, which means that you can face years in prison if convicted. Our aggressive approach to the investigation and presentation of your defense can give you a distinct advantage if you face the most serious drunk driving charges.
Our trial lawyers can not only analyze your criminal case to find the most effective defenses to minimize the risk of punishment, we can also represent your interests in the administrative license suspension hearing that forms an increasingly important part of our defense practice. To benefit from our experience in the defense of DWI and BWI cases, contact our law firm in Setauket, New York.