Michigan Criminal Lawyers Blog
Recently, a 29-year-old Memphis woman was charged with DUI following a crash that resulted in injury to her young son. According to a news report at WMC Action News 5, Kenyatta Reed-Ferguson crashed into two fences after losing control of her vehicle as she was driving eastbound on Interstate 240.
Officers arrived at the scene and found the woman was attempting to start the car. It was at this point that officers noticed a strong odor of alcohol. Officers found her son in the back seat of the vehicle, laying face down after the woman told them her son was in the car. There was no child safety seat in the vehicle, according to police. Reed-Ferguson was charged with reckless driving, violation of child restraint, child endangerment, and DUI, her second in three years. Reed-Ferguson was charged with DUI in June of 2011 after she was pulled over by police for not wearing a seat belt.
Reed-Ferguson told police that she swerved when another car in front of her swerved; she then lost control of the vehicle. Police asked her if she had been drinking, to which she replied that she had drank a beer at the location where she had been before she got on the road. She refused a blood draw at the scene of the accident, however police said she could not walk and that they had to help her to the squad car. She was taken to jail.
The defendant’s young son is now in the care of family members.
Michigan DUI attorneys know the serious consequences individuals face when charged with driving under the influence, particularly when it is not a first offense. In Michigan, a second DUI offense within seven years of the first will result in criminal penalties that include fines of up to $1,000 and a maximum of one year in jail. Community service for up to 90 days is also a possibility. Administrative penalties include a one-year driver’s license suspension. In Reed-Ferguson’s case, she may face additional penalties for the other charges if convicted.
Every DUI is serious, whether it is a first, second, or third (felony) offense. Not only will those convicted face serious criminal and administrative penalties, a criminal record can impact employment and other areas of an individual’s life. Your auto insurance company may increase your premiums, or even drop coverage. It is vital that anyone charged with driving under the influence works with an experienced and dedicated Michigan DUI lawyer. There are various legal options that may help you escape harsh punishment, or avoid a conviction altogether.