Skip to main content

Charged with Driving While License Suspended?

Written by David O
1 Comment
Charged with Driving While License Suspended?

Were you recently charged with driving while license suspended because you were operating a car while your driver’s license was suspended or revoked?

Here’s What You Need To Know

There are three classifications of driving while license suspended:

  1.  Driving While License Suspended 1st Degree.  The Revised Code of Washington 46.65 states:  A person is guilty of DWLS 1st Degree if they are an habitual offender and driving a car while their license is suspended.  An habitual offender” is someone who has a very bad driving record and who has accumulated multiple driving offenses.  DWLS 1st Degree is a gross misdemeanor.  If found guilty of DWLS 1st Degree an individual would face a minimum of 10 days of imprisonment for their first offense, a minimum of 90 days of imprisonment for their second offense, and a minimum of 180 days of imprisonment for every other subsequent offense.  Also,they would have an additional year of license suspension added on to their prior license suspension term.
  2.  Driving While License Suspended 2nd Degree.  For an individual to fall into this classification, the individual would have not been eligible to reinstate their driver license, and they would have a decent driving record, they would not be considered an habitual offender.  DWLS 2nd Degree is also a gross misdemeanor and if found guilty, an individual would have an additional year of license suspension added on to their prior license suspension term.  There is no minimum imprisonment for DWLS 2nd Degree.  The only way to avoid the additional one-year license suspension for a person convicted of Driving While License Suspended 1st or 2nd Degree is if the court recommends against the additional license suspension and the person has obtained a valid driver’s license.
  3. Driving While License Suspended 3rd Degree.  For a person to be placed into this classification the person must have been eligible to reinstate his/her driver’s license at the time of the charge. DWLS 3rd Degree is a simple misdemeanor. A person convicted under this section will not lose their driver’s license for any additional period.  However they would still want to hire a criminal defense attorney to fight their case and negotiate the charge down to a lesser fraction or get it dismissed.

If you’ve been charged with Driving While License Suspended, call the experienced criminal defense lawyers at David O Defense, 206-459-6392, to schedule a free legal consultation where you can talk about the details of your case, ask questions, and find out more about DWLS charges.

 

Legal Blog, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Yolanda Foster’s Daughter Busted for DUI

Written by David O
Leave a Comment
Yolanda Foster’s Daughter Busted for DUI

Seventeen year old, Bella Hadid, got herself in a bit of L.A. trouble by receiving a DUI charge early Tuesday morning.  Allegedly, Bella was driving on Pacific Coast Highway around 4 am when she blew through a stop sign and almost rear ended a L.A. Counties Sheriff’s patrol car.   Reeking of alcohol, officers suspected the young lady was DUI.  The aspiring model’s DUI breathalyzer results revealed a BAC level of .14, nearly twice the California legal DUI limit of .08.  To make matters worse, Bella was driving on a suspended drivers license.  She was arrested for DUI and was hauled off to jail.

Luckily, Bella’s parents came to her rescue.  Reality TV star , Yolanda Foster, came to her daughter’s aid and bailed her out of jail.  Former Dutch supermodel, Yolanda, is well-known for being one of the elite ladies on the hit show Beverly Hills Real Housewives.  Sources also report that Grammy winner, David Foster, step dad to Bella, was also at the police station with his wife Yolanda.

In Washington, a minor DUI is considered a simple misdemeanor, similar to a negligent driving 1st degree.  However,  for a minor to be charged with a minor DUI the breath test or blood test results must be within a range of .02 to .07.  If a minor had a breath test or blood draw above a .07 then the minor would be charged as an adult.

Based on Bella’s BAC results she will be charged as an adult for DUI.  If California is similar to Washington, she could face up to a maximum penalty of 364 days in jail and a $5000 fine.  Don’t forget the license suspension.  In Washington, for a first time DUI offender with a breath test result under a .15 the license suspension would be for 90 days.  The driver would be eligible to drive during the suspension period if they decided to apply for an ignition interlock license.  To get this, the driver obviously would need to get an ignition interlock device installed.

Since, Bella’s license was already suspended her suspension period could last longer than 90 days depending on why her license was suspended in the first place.  In Washington, if she was eligible to reinstate her license but just forgot to then it would be considered a Driving While License Suspended in the 3rd degree.  If she was not eligible to reinstate her license she could be charged with driving while license suspended in the 2nd degree.  In this case, her license will be suspended for an additional year, consecutive to any other suspension she is dealing with.

Good luck Bella, the next step now is to hire a reputable DUI lawyer to fight your case!

 

Written by DUI defense attorney, David O

Co-Written by Sarah Ann

 

BuzzWorthy Celebs, DUI / Drunk Driving / DWI, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bieber May Strike A Sweet DUI Deal!

Written by David O
Leave a Comment
Bieber May Strike A Sweet DUI Deal!

A quick update on Justin Bieber’s DUI case…  It pays off to hire a great DUI defense attorney, and Justin Bieber is probably ecstatic with the plea deal that his defense attorney has been negotiating for him.   Apparently, the Miami prosecutors have unofficially offered Justin the deal to drop all three charges of; DUI, resisting arrest, and driving without a license, if Justin pleads no contest to a reckless driving charge.  Now that’s a sweet deal!  Dropping three charges which included a DUI and pleading no contest (aka guilty) to one lesser offense such as reckless driving, Justin better take it!

Additionally, Justin Bieber’s defense attorney has halted the random drug testing that Miami prosecutors were initially asking for… another score for Team Bieber!

Thus Bieber will plead guilty to reckless driving, of which he may have to pay some fines for, and then he will be placed on probation for about a year during which he will be required to keep his hands clean of all criminal activity while in the United States.

Team Bieber should wrap up negotiations and finalize the DUI deal within the next couple of weeks.

See my previous blog “Justin Bieber’s DUI Attorney Is Doing His Job,” for more insight on J.B.’s DUI arrest.

 

Written by SAO

BuzzWorthy Celebs, DUI / Drunk Driving / DWI, Legal Blog, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,