Michigan Criminal Lawyers Blog
Just after midnight New Year’s eve, a 27-year-old Ypsilanti woman was pulled over in Pittsfield Township in the parking lot of a Steak ‘n Shake after police were called to the restaurant by employees who said she was acting “disorderly,” according to a news article at Mlive.com. The woman had ordered food at the drive-thru window and left before police arrived, according to Pittsfield Police Department Sgt. Hank Fusik.
Fusik said that the woman returned to the restaurant approximately 20 minutes later and again went through the drive-thru. An officer showed up at the scene and approached the woman’s vehicle. The officer claims that her vehicle was running, and that there was an open bottle of liquor in her lap.
According to Fusik, chemical tests revealed that the woman was driving with a BAC (blood alcohol content) of .17 percent, more than twice the legal limit of .08 percent in Michigan. This is known as “super drunk,” or a high BAC offense which leaves the defendant facing harsher penalties. The woman failed both chemical and field sobriety tests, according to the article. She was taken to the Washtenaw County Jail following her arrest.
In Michigan, a charge of “super drunk” leaves the defendant facing penalties which are often double those of what an individual charged with DUI and having a BAC of .08 would face if found guilty. For example, a regular DUI charge would leave a first-time offender facing a 30 day suspension of his or her driver’s license followed by 150 days of restriction. With a super drunk conviction, this time increases to one year, with restricted driving a possibility after 45 days, although the driver will be required to use an IID (ignition interlock device) in any vehicle he or she attempts to operate.
Having your license suspended or revoked following a drunk driving conviction creates a severe hardship on your life and freedom. If you are facing DUI charges and possible license suspension, consult with a skilled and capable Michigan drivers license reinstatement attorney right away.