The Cost of a DWI
Rising Phenoix
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 36
The Cost of a DWI
I got a DUI last November and after numerous delays my day in court is Sept. 24th. I just received an email from my attorney detailing the plea agreement and the proposed steps of action I must complete. They are as followed(note the 6 tickets I received that night. The cop must have been feeling extra frisky):
Charge Recommendation
D.W.I. Plead guilty; SIS for 2 years
Pay court costs of $62.50
Pay $85.00 recoupment
Completion of SATOP, VIP and DJS Evaluation
40 hours of approved community service
Completion of driving school
No operating a motor vehicle within six hours of alcohol consumption
Electric Signal Violation Plead guilty
Case dismissed upon payment of court costs in the amount of $62.50
Failure to Drive in Single Lane Amend to Illegal Parking
Pay fine and court costs in the amount of $192.50
Failure to Signal Amend to Illegal Parking
Case dismissed upon payment of court costs in the amount of $62.50
Speeding 70/40 Plead guilty
Pay fine and court costs in the amount of $212.50
Improper Lane Use Plead guilty
Case dismissed upon payment of court costs in the amount of $62.50
Fun stuff eh? Please keep this in mind the next time you think about getting behind the wheel after drinking. Learn from me so you won't make the same mistake and face the same or perhaps even worse consequences.
Charge Recommendation
D.W.I. Plead guilty; SIS for 2 years
Pay court costs of $62.50
Pay $85.00 recoupment
Completion of SATOP, VIP and DJS Evaluation
40 hours of approved community service
Completion of driving school
No operating a motor vehicle within six hours of alcohol consumption
Electric Signal Violation Plead guilty
Case dismissed upon payment of court costs in the amount of $62.50
Failure to Drive in Single Lane Amend to Illegal Parking
Pay fine and court costs in the amount of $192.50
Failure to Signal Amend to Illegal Parking
Case dismissed upon payment of court costs in the amount of $62.50
Speeding 70/40 Plead guilty
Pay fine and court costs in the amount of $212.50
Improper Lane Use Plead guilty
Case dismissed upon payment of court costs in the amount of $62.50
Fun stuff eh? Please keep this in mind the next time you think about getting behind the wheel after drinking. Learn from me so you won't make the same mistake and face the same or perhaps even worse consequences.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 12,136
I work in a courthouse. I deal with impaired cases every day. You are one of the lucky ones. No one got killed or hurt, and I'm glad for that. I too used to drink and drive; I am grateful that I don't have to do that today and put myself and others at risk.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: LA - Lower Alabama
Posts: 5,068
Sounds to me like you got off easy. I do not know what some of your terms mean but my one and only DUI, which was 10 years ago in CA was this:
$3000 in fines
3 years probation
attend MADD victim impact panel
attend driving school, 12 weeks, 3 hours a week
attend 12 AA meetings.
No measurable amount of alcohol in my system while driving for the entire term of my probation - even a .01 and I was going to jail for a year.
90 day suspended license
I got through it, although I drank the whole time and it took me another 7 years to get AAs message.
$3000 in fines
3 years probation
attend MADD victim impact panel
attend driving school, 12 weeks, 3 hours a week
attend 12 AA meetings.
No measurable amount of alcohol in my system while driving for the entire term of my probation - even a .01 and I was going to jail for a year.
90 day suspended license
I got through it, although I drank the whole time and it took me another 7 years to get AAs message.
Miracles Happen
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 9,977
There was a big news article yesterday of a woman driving drunk on the wrong side of the road and killing 8, all those innocent kids and people because of someone driving while drunk, I myself thank God that it wasn't me. It could have been when I was using because I too drove drunk. Be thankful you didn't kill anyone.
Rising Phenoix
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 36
SATOP stands for Substance Abuse something something something. They're classes I have to take and I think the cost over $400
VIP is Victims Impact Panel sponsered by MADD
DJS is the Dept of Justice but not sure what the evaluation entails.
VIP is Victims Impact Panel sponsered by MADD
DJS is the Dept of Justice but not sure what the evaluation entails.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 525
I think when you Plead Guilty, you will be fined.
Probably $2000+ (though i hope much less).
Here's an article from a month ago.
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com...0RideHome.aspx
I got one too 10 years ago.
But i didn't quit until years later.
I'm gonna be my own police, and fine myself for drinking and living.
Because for me, alcohol is a breeding ground for creating a poor opinion of myself. And, the fact that my family history indicates my genetic tendency towards alcoholism. And my past confirms it.
Probably $2000+ (though i hope much less).
Here's an article from a month ago.
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com...0RideHome.aspx
I got one too 10 years ago.
But i didn't quit until years later.
I'm gonna be my own police, and fine myself for drinking and living.
Because for me, alcohol is a breeding ground for creating a poor opinion of myself. And, the fact that my family history indicates my genetic tendency towards alcoholism. And my past confirms it.
grateful to be here
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 426
BDP....i'm in the process right now of dealing with the consequences of drinking and driving. i don't know what i will get until sept 1st when i go to court. no more drinking for me...it's been amazing the handful of ppl who i have had to tell who when i say that...they say well you just need to not get behind the wheel when you are drinking. umm i'm not taking the chance anymore. i can't control what i do after i drink. sorry about how it turned out for you. i'm terrified of what is going to happen to me.
hope threads like this put out some more info for ppl who are still drinking and driving and need to quit using alcohol period. i should have stopped before, i knew better but it's had to come down to this.
hope threads like this put out some more info for ppl who are still drinking and driving and need to quit using alcohol period. i should have stopped before, i knew better but it's had to come down to this.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 525
Originally Posted by bohemianzen 
it's been amazing the handful of ppl who i have had to tell who when i say that...they say well you just need to not get behind the wheel when you are drinking. umm i'm not taking the chance anymore. i can't control what i do after i drink.
And you're right. Since my decision making skills are random when i drink, i can't drink anymore.
Here's a sad article about the woman who killed 8 people while drunk.
Her husband and the father of a child that died in the crash, he gives a press conference:
Driver’s Husband Denies She Had Drinking Problem - City Room Blog - NYTimes.com
Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Washington
Posts: 13
I have two dui's. Doing deferred prosecution on the second one. Has cost me around 20,000$. No one was hurt thank god. Getting sober and learning to live sober through AA and treatment I can't put a price on. I am thankful that I got the second one. I would have kept chasing that drink into the gates of hell if I hadn't. Sober for 7 months 
Rising Phenoix
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 36
I'm not suprised at all by the punishment though the driving class caught me off guard(my lawyer did mention I may have to go when we first met) I'm just looking forward to doing what I have to do so I can put this behind me forever.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 711
I got one, it was around 8K with lawyer and fines.
24 hours in jail
1 year probation
2 AA meetings per week
40 hours community service
Alcohol awareness class - 24 hours I think
Psychiatric evaluation
MADD victim impact panel
I am just glad I didn't hurt or kill anyone.
24 hours in jail
1 year probation
2 AA meetings per week
40 hours community service
Alcohol awareness class - 24 hours I think
Psychiatric evaluation
MADD victim impact panel
I am just glad I didn't hurt or kill anyone.
Resident
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 4,150
I got one in 1986 and it cost me my job, my license for 1 year and about $2000 in fines and lawyers fees.
I stopped drinking for about 4 months and have NEVER driven while drinking any alcohol since then.
I did however keep drinking until this year and I now wish that I would have stayed sober since then instead of wasting the next twenty years in the bars.
If you are facing a DUI maybe take that as a sign that drinking isn't for you and quit completely. I know I wish that I would have but this is my year. No more drinking for me forever.
I stopped drinking for about 4 months and have NEVER driven while drinking any alcohol since then.
I did however keep drinking until this year and I now wish that I would have stayed sober since then instead of wasting the next twenty years in the bars.
If you are facing a DUI maybe take that as a sign that drinking isn't for you and quit completely. I know I wish that I would have but this is my year. No more drinking for me forever.
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