Columbia, PA DUI Lawyers Serving Lancaster County

Have you or a family member recently been arrested for a DUI in Columbia, Pennsylvania? If so, you may be facing serious charges. DUI penalties for the first offense may not affect your entire life, but they can increase significantly according to the circumstances of your case. It’s especially important if you want to avoid things like jail time, license suspension, fines, and mandatory programs.

So, how can you avoid these consequences? By making sure you have the right attorney. At Chieppor & Egner, we represent individuals throughout Lancaster County, including those charged in Columbia, who need a strong, strategic defense. Not only are we familiar with local DUI laws and courts, but we know how to take proactive steps to protect your rights right now.

Columbia, PA Main Highways for DUI Arrests

Columbia, PA, is a beautiful small town right along the Susquehanna River, across from Wrightsville. It’s located on the western side of Lancaster County, and is easily accessible by many areas in Pennsylvania via several major roadways. While main roadways are great for ease of travel, they are also frequently monitored by local police and state troopers. Even more so on holiday weekends or specific events.

What are some areas and roads in Columbia, PA that DUI arrests occur on, or where there may be a DUI checkpoint? Here are a few:

• Route 30 (Lincoln Highway): This is, arguably, the largest highway in Columbia, curving around the city and crossing the Susquehanna River. This major east-west route connects Columbia with Lancaster, York, and beyond. DUI checkpoints and traffic stops are often set up along this corridor.
• Route 462 (Columbia Avenue): This route runs through downtown, turns into Veterans Memorial Bridge, and also goes into Wrightsville. Since this route goes through downtown, there are several restaurants and bars where alcohol is served. This road is often patrolled at night.
• Route 441: Runs along the riverfront and connects Columbia to Marietta and the surrounding areas. It also runs parallel to train tracks that follow the Susquehanna River.
• Residential roads such as Walnut Street, Locust Street, and Chestnut Street, where officers may patrol for erratic driving during late hours.

Stats on DUI Arrests in Columbia, PA

While hundreds of arrests are made in Lancaster County each year, according to the Columbia Borough Police Department, only 5 DUI arrests were made from January to June 2025. This is less than the previous year, when a total of 13 DUI arrests were made. In 2023 and 2022, the amount of DUI arrests was 9 and 7 respectively.  In examining these cases, almost all arrests were made in the evening to night time, from 5:30pm to 3:15am. There were several aggravating factors in the DUI arrests made this year, such as High Rate of Alcohol, Damage to Property, combination of drugs and alcohol, and second offense DUI.

According to their Crime Map, we are able to see where most DUI arrests occurred. It is clear that downtown Columbia has the most risk for DUI arrests compared to the suburbs, with several arrests taking place on Locust Street and N 3rd Street. Our firm closely monitors trends and legal developments in DUI enforcement so we can stay ahead of the prosecution and build a tailored defense strategy.

DUI Laws in Columbia, Pennsylvania

Since Columbia and Lancaster County are in Pennsylvania, they fall under the state laws rather than deciding themselves what their laws are. However, how these laws are enforced can differ slightly depending on local procedures. This is a huge benefit of using an attorney familiar with local courts.

Even so, there are some aspects of Pennsylvania DUI laws that you should be aware of. The first of which is their three-tiered system based on Blood Alcohol Content (BAC). They are as follows:

• General impairment: 0.08%–0.099%
• High rate: 0.10%–0.159%
• Highest rate: 0.16% and above

Another important thing to remember is that penalties increase with each level of BAC, the number of prior offenses, and other circumstances like if you are under the influence of drugs, or if you refuse to submit to testing. Refusing a chemical test can result in automatic license suspension under Pennsylvania’s implied consent laws. In Lancaster County, DUI charges are typically handled in the Court of Common Pleas in Lancaster or in the local Magisterial District Court serving Columbia.

What to Expect After a Columbia, PA DUI Arrest

Most of the consequences for a DUI happen after conviction, not arrest. At that point, you are facing real lifetime effects like drivers license removal, removal of some professional licenses, jail time, and more. After an arrest, the game is a little different. The actions you take in everything you do will affect whether or not this is one mistake or a life-changer.

Shortly before arrest, they will likely ask you to participate in field sobriety testing and find that you failed. At this point, they would take you into custody and try a chemical test. Shortly after, you will attend a preliminary hearing where the prosecutor will show evidence to ensure the case continues. Then, you will be dealing with the court system, and can expect a formal arraignment, pretrial motions and negotiations, and in some cases a trial.

Choose Us When Facing a DUI in Columbia, PA

Mitigating these consequences starts by working with an experienced attorney like those at our firm. To learn how the attorneys at Chieppor & Egner LLC can help you, contact us to schedule an initial consultation about your case. The stakes are high, which means the last thing you should do is try to navigate this process without an attorney. We will help you navigate each step with confidence.

Driving Directions to our Office in Lancaster, PA

From the North:

• Take I-76 East.
• Take Exit 286 toward US-222 South/Ephrata/Lancaster
• Merge onto US-222 South and continue for about 20 to 25 miles
• Take the exit for PA-272/Oregon Pike toward Oregon Pike/Lititz Pike
• Continue on Oregon Pike/PA-272 South
• Turn left onto East Chestnut Street
• Turn right onto North Duke Street
• Arrive at 53 N. Duke Street, Suite 401, Lancaster, PA 17602.

From the South:

• Take I-83 North.
• Take Exit 19 for PA-462 toward Market Street/Lancaster
• Continue on US-30 East – Once on Market Street, merge onto US-30 East toward
• Lancaster
• Take the exit for PA-501/Lititz Pike and turn right onto Lititz Pike
• Turn left onto East Chestnut Street
• Turn right onto North Duke Street
• Arrive at 53 N. Duke Street, Suite 401, Lancaster, PA 17602.

From the East:

• Start on I-276 West toward Harrisburg
• Take Exit 286 for US-222 South/Ephrata/Lancaster
• Merge onto US-222 South and continue for about 20 to 25 miles
• Take the exit for PA-272/Oregon Pike toward Oregon Pike/Lititz Pike
• Follow PA-272 South
• Turn left onto East Chestnut Street
• Turn right onto North Duke Street
• Arrive at 53 N. Duke Street, Suite 401, Lancaster, PA 17602.

From the West

• Start on I-76 East toward Harrisburg
• Take Exit 247 to merge onto I-283 South toward PA-283/Lancaster
• Merge onto PA-283 East and continue for about 25 miles toward Lancaster
• Take the exit toward Fruitville Pike
• Turn right onto Fruitville Pike and continue as it turns into North Prince Street
• Turn left onto East Chestnut Street
• Turn right onto North Duke Street
• Arrive at 53 N. Duke Street, Suite 401, Lancaster, PA 17602.