Millersville DUI Lawyers
You don’t have to let a DUI accusation define your reputation and future. An experienced attorney can help you evaluate the avenues available to you to seek a positive outcome to your charges. Contact Chieppor & Egner LLC today for a free initial case review with a DUI defense lawyer serving Millersville, and let’s discuss your options together.
Why Choose a DUI Defense Lawyer from Chieppor & Egner LLC?
A DUI conviction can have serious repercussions on your life, and protecting yourself from them takes an equally serious defense. Choose Chieppor & Egner LLC to advocate for your rights and interests because of:
- Our connections to the community: Founding partners Jonathan Chieppor and Alex Egner are long-time residents of Lancaster County. They formed Chieppor & Egner LLC to serve residents of the county with professional, dedicated, and personalized legal representation.
- Our experience: Our legal team has an extensive background in Pennsylvania criminal law. Attorney Jonathan Chieppor previously served in the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office, and Attorney Alex Egner worked in the Lancaster County Public Defender’s Office. Both attorneys gained considerable insight into how the prosecution prepares cases and how to develop robust defense strategies.
- Our dedication: We understand that facing DUI charges can cause you considerable anxiety and stress. You can rest assured that we will work as hard as possible to provide you with the top-notch legal representation you need and deserve when facing prosecution for intoxicated driving in Millersville.
Understanding DUI Laws in Millersville
Under Pennsylvania’s DUI laws, a person may commit an offense in Millersville if they operate or exercise physical control over the movement of a vehicle after consuming sufficient alcohol or drugs such that the person cannot safely operate a motor vehicle, or if the person operates or exercised physical control over the movement of a vehicle while having a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or more. The DUI laws also impose harsher penalties for motorists who have higher BAC levels or who operate or exercise physical control over the movement of vehicles while under the influence of controlled substances.
Furthermore, Pennsylvania has an implied consent law which deems every driver operating or exercising physical control over the movement of a vehicle in the commonwealth to have given consent to breath or blood testing after a lawful arrest for DUI. A motorist who refuses a police officer’s lawful request to submit to breath or blood testing under the implied consent law may face civil penalties for their refusal in the form of a driver’s license suspension of 12 months (18 months for a second or subsequent incident of refusal)
Consequences of a DUI Conviction
In Pennsylvania, penalties for a DUI conviction depend on factors such as the driver’s degree of intoxication and their history of prior DUI offenses. Penalties for drivers with an undetermined BAC or a BAC of 0.08 to 0.99 percent include:
- First offense: Up to six months of probation, a $300 fine, requirement to attend alcohol safety school, requirement to attend substance abuse treatment if ordered, and a one-year ignition interlock requirement
- Second offense: A 12-month driver’s license suspension, five days to six months in jail, a fine of $300 to $2,500, requirement to attend alcohol safety school, requirement to attend substance abuse treatment if ordered, and a one-year ignition interlock requirement
- Third or subsequent offense: A 12-month driver’s license suspension, 10 days to years of incarceration, a fine of $500 to $5,000, requirement to attend substance abuse treatment if ordered, and a one-year ignition interlock requirement
Penalties for drivers arrested with a BAC of 0.10 to 0.159 percent include:
- First offense: A 12-month driver’s license suspension, 48 hours to six months in jail, a fine of $500 to $5,000, requirement to attend alcohol safety school, requirement to attend substance abuse treatment if ordered, and a one-year ignition interlock requirement
- Second offense: A 12-month driver’s license suspension, 30 days to six months in jail, a fine of $750 to $5,000, requirement to attend alcohol safety school, requirement to attend substance abuse treatment if ordered, and a one-year ignition interlock requirement
- Third offense: An 18-month driver’s license suspension, 90 days to five years of incarceration, a fine of $1,500 to $10,000, requirement to attend substance abuse treatment if ordered, and a one-year ignition interlock requirement
- Fourth or subsequent offense: An 18-month driver’s license suspension, one to five years in prison, a fine of $1,500 to $10,000, requirement to attend substance abuse treatment if ordered, and a one-year ignition interlock requirement
Penalties for motorists arrested with a BAC of 0.16 percent or more or under the influence of controlled substances include:
- First offense: A 12-month driver’s license suspension, 72 hours to six months in jail, a fine of $1,000 to $5,000, requirement to attend alcohol safety school, requirement to attend substance abuse treatment if ordered, and a one-year ignition interlock requirement
- Second offense: An 18-month driver’s license suspension, 90 days to five years of incarceration, a fine of $1,500 to $10,000, requirement to attend alcohol safety school, requirement to attend substance abuse treatment if ordered, and a one-year ignition interlock requirement
- Third or subsequent offense: An 18-month driver’s license suspension, one to five years in prison, a fine of $2,500 to $10,000, requirement to attend substance abuse treatment if ordered, and a one-year ignition interlock requirement
Defenses to DUI Charges
A driver charged with DUI in Millersville may have various defense strategies to pursue against their charges, depending on the facts in their case. Potential defenses to intoxicated driving charges include:
- The police unlawfully stopped the driver: A defendant may seek to exclude evidence from the prosecution’s case by arguing that the arresting officer lacked reasonable suspicion or probable cause of DUI or another criminal or traffic offense to initiate or prolong the traffic stop and thus unlawfully stopped or detained the defendant.
- The police made errors during field sobriety testing: Defendants who agree to perform field sobriety tests during a DUI stop may challenge the officer’s interpretation of the results by arguing that environmental conditions (e.g., uneven ground, adverse weather) or their medical conditions (e.g., inner ear problems, arthritis) affected their performance on the tests.
- The police committed errors in chemical testing: A defendant may challenge the reliability of the police’s breath or blood test results by highlighting the officers’ failure to follow testing protocols or the police’s failure to calibrate their testing equipment.
How Can a DUI Defense Attorney Help You?
Even though the prosecution may seem like they have an unbeatable case, you have legal options for pursuing a more favorable resolution to your DUI charges. An attorney from Chieppor & Egner LLC can help you face prosecution for a DUI offense by:
- Thoroughly investigating your charges to secure all available evidence to build a robust case strategy
- Reviewing your case to identify possible defenses you could raise
- Helping you make informed decisions about how to move forward at each stage of your case
- Vigorously challenging the prosecution’s evidence and allegations at every available opportunity
- Fighting for the best possible outcome, whether at the negotiating table or at trial
Charged with DUI in Millersville? Get the legal help you need to pursue a favorable resolution to your case when you contact Chieppor & Egner LLC for a consultation with a criminal defense attorney serving Millersville.
