New Drunk Driving Law to Make Repeated DUIs a Felony

In Colorado, a new bill for a drunk driving law to make multiple DUIs a felony offense has gone through the House and has been approved unanimously to be passed and for the required funding. This proposed drunk driving law provides a harsher response in Colorado to those who drive under the influence of alcohol; currently such an offense is considered only a misdemeanor no matter how many times a person has been convicted of driving drunk previously. Now, if a person receives three DUIs over a seven-year period or four over their lifetime, they will be charged with a Class Four felony which carries a sentence of two to six years in prison.

There has been little opposition to the bill, and those who have spoken out against it have pointed out their concerns about the “lifetime” DUI limitation in this new drunk driving law. House Speaker Mark Ferrandino D-Denver noted, “say you have a driver who gets a DUI when he’s younger and another in this thirties. What happens when he gets another one when he’s sixty and another one when he’s seventy – do you really want to call him a repeat offender?” However, despite this concern, this new bill has garnered strong support and is expected to become law.

This bill brings Colorado in line with thirty-seven other states that currently have drunk driving laws that make driving while impaired a felony offense for repeat offenders. At The Law Center we believe no one should ever drive while under the influence of a substance that impairs them. However, if you have been arrested and are awaiting trial for a serious criminal charge such as a DUI; you owe it to yourself, your loved ones, your liberties and livelihood to do what you can to avoid these harsh punishments. You should contact the experienced Law Center P.C. criminal defense attorneys at 303-991-5200 or [email protected] right away.
Courtesy of arapahoehouse.org

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