Arrest under DWI is very common in the streets thanks to the strict traffic laws and regulations prevalent in the United States of America. Now that you operate a business in states like Missouri, on any other in the USA, reputation matters a lot other than just performance. You will definitely not like you, and the company name dragged and bedraggled. So is better to get in touch with the different aspects of driving while intoxicating. You can take help from a competent DWI defense in this regard. In this article, we are going to discuss what to do if your employee is arrested for DWI charges.
The Missouri DWI Laws
Like all other states, Missouri has its own DWI laws. They are important as it people aware while driving into the streets with a high level of alcohol consumption. The standard or yardstick of conviction and arrest on the charge of driving under the influence is BAC.
1. Bac Limits
For a driver, if the BAC reaches 0.8% (over 21 years of age) straightaway, there is no other evidence required for the driver to be convicted. This much is enough, though the individual can fight its defense. The legal drinking age in Missouri is 21years. Suppose the driver drives with under age; it’s not legal. Moreover, if the underaged driver hits the street with the consumption of alcohol, the scenario gets more complex. The legal authorities have set the BAC levels for the underaged drivers. It is 0.02%. This is called the zero-tolerance law. So one needs to consult a DWI criminal defense if detained.
2. Criminal Penalties
If the authority convicts a driver for the first time under DWI, this will be counted first offense. The first offense is a Class B Misdmeanor. The minimum detention time in jail is 48 hours if the BAC crosses 0.15-0.2%. The maximum punishment for this particular offense is six months sentence to jail along with a fine of up to $500. Now for a second conviction, detention increases up to a minimum of 30 days with some community services.
For the third conviction, detention gets an extension up to a minimum of 60 days. This denotes that things get tougher with more convictions. The DWI criminal defense lawyers have a better hold on the nitty-gritty of it.
3. Administrative Penalties
Now the state comes into action. The state of Missouri suspends the driving license of an individual that gets detained driving under consumption. The state act to suspend your license for 90 days when you are convicted for the first time.
You might be eligible to request an immediate” restricted driving privilege.” Then you can drive during the 90 days with the installation of an Ignition Interlock Device (IID). Now the 90 days suspension of license is mainly for the first conviction.
The state will suspend your driving license for 365 days if you are convicted for the second time. If you are convicted three to four times, you have your license revoked for ten years. Discuss these in detail with the DWI criminal defense lawyer you hire.
What Employer Should Do If The Employee Is Arrested For A DUI?
When an employees come to you and tell you they have been arrested for a DUI, what would you do then? It’s better to have a DWI criminal defense lawyer with you rather than a futile attempt on a Google search. Here are two things that you can not miss out
1. Focus On The Fact
You need to ask your employee if he/she was driving for the company when the accident occurred. Suppose he was driving while on duty you have every right to suspend the individual. If the employee was arrested outside office hours, the company’s role and responsibilities become completely negligible here.
2. Determining The Effects On The Business
When you have heard that the authorities arrested an employee because of indiscipline on the streets, you need to consider how it hurts your business. Suppose your employee gets arrested for three days. This means you are missing three days of your work time. That’s a financial loss for you. You also need to determine if it is wise to keep the employee because the company’s reputation is at stake. Talk to your DWI criminal defense lawyer without delay.
Conclusion
To conclude, it can be said that you have to consider a lot many angles when it comes to arresting your employee on a DWI charge. It is 100-fold safe to consult a DWI criminal defense lawyer. They are experienced in handling these difficulties.
