Every state within the United States has tough penalties for commercial DUI offenses. Florida is not exception to this, implementing an extremely punitive stance on those who have failed to uphold their professional responsibility. This can include extended prison sentences, hefty fines, a suspension of your driver’s license and possibly probation. Florida even requires that commercial drivers found to be under the influence in their personal car receive additional punishments that affect their professional livelihood.
With this being the case, it is vital that you immediately get to work on finding out what the best course of action to fight these charges may be. One of the most effective resources that a person can have when presented with a stressful and life altering situation as this is working with a capable and effective criminal defense attorney. With the right legal counsel at your side, you can productively argue you case while putting yourself in a strong position to get the charges reduced or dismissed.
With the professional implications that tend to follow a commercial DUI conviction, doing everything you can to make certain that you do not have to deal with the worst of the penalties is paramount to salvaging the situation and moving on with your life with as little cost as possible.
William Roelke is a Jacksonville criminal defense attorney who is well-versed on DUI law in Florida. He has years of legal experience representing commercial drivers who have been accused of driving under the influence and will draw on this past case work to develop an aggressive and efficient defense strategy that will give you the greatest chance at receiving a favorable verdict.
This commitment to the clients he serves, along with a deep, fundamental adherence to importance of individual rights and due process will allow him to represent you in a professional and passionate manner while taking every factor into account in order to put you in a strong, defensible position.
To schedule a free and confidential consultation to go over the detail of you pending criminal case, call (904) 354-0333 or send an online message today. Roelke Law, P.A. proudly serves residents throughout Northeast Florida, including Duval County, St. Johns County, Clay County and Nassau County.
Florida law defines commercial vehicles to including any of the following types of vehicle driven on the streets of highway of this state:
According to Florida Statute §322.62(b), a person will be charged with a commercial vehicle driving under the influence if they are found to have a blood alcohol level of .04 or more at the time of arrest. This is half the legal limit of a driver in a personal car (.08).
The potential sentencing for an individual who has been convicted of a commercial DUI comes with up to six months in jail and / or fines of up to $500. This will also include an administrative license suspension for up to a period of eighteen months and a ban from operating a commercial vehicle for one year.
In addition, immediately following the initial arrest, a commercial driver will also be required to adhere to a 24-hour out-of-service period.
A second Commercial DUI conviction will result in permanent disqualification from driving a commercial vehicle. If the second conviction happens to take place within five years of the first conviction, it may also lead to a fine of up to $1,000, up to nine months in jail (with a mandatory minimum ten day imprisonment), impoundment of the offender’s vehicle for thirty days (if the second conviction is within three years of first conviction), and a driver’s license suspension of at least five years.
Considering the potential negative ramifications, both personally and professionally, it is vital that a commercial DUI allegation be met swiftly through the use of a capable criminal defense attorney who has the legal knowledge to help you through this difficult situation.
If you or a loved one has been arrested for this serious offense, working with attorney William Roelke will allow you to articulately present your case while reducing the probability of harsh sentencing. His experience and dedication to the clients her works with will be a major advantage in the legal battle that will ensue.
A criminal conviction may derail your career and lead to consequences beyond prison time and fines. To schedule a free and confidential consultation to go over your case with William Roelke, call (904) 354-0333. In addition to serving Jacksonville, Roelke Law, P.A. also represents individuals throughout Atlantic Beach, St. Augustine, Orange Park, Fernandina Beach.
