MenuDriving “super drunk” carries a heavy penalty. Police recently arrested a Michigan lawmaker and charged her with being “super drunk” in Michigan after she drove into a guardrail.
ABC News reported Rep. Rebekah Warren’s black jeep Cherokee was allegedly seen swerving on Interstate-75. Auburn Hills police caught up with her. Police dash cam footage showed her going off a shoulder and striking a guardrail, the news media reported. Warren pleaded guilty to the lesser misdemeanor count of Operating while Intoxicated on Feb. 18, according to Oakland County District Court records.
Warren, D-Ann Arbor, was originally arraigned on Jan. 30, on one misdemeanor count of operating while intoxicated with blood alcohol content greater than 0.17 percent, records show.
Act, 7 Action News obtained a video of the state representative’s arrest on Dec. 26, 2019. The station received the footage following a Freedom of Information Act request. Warren told police she was upset that her arrest was being recorded by police cameras.
The media reports stated Warren’s SUV hit a guardrail as an officer approached. The video showed police asking Warren to leave the vehicle. Officers performed field sobriety tests on her which Warren failed. She told the officer that her career would be over if the video footage came to light.
Warren would not take a breathalyzer test, media reports stated. Police obtained a search warrant to take two vials of blood from her at a nearby hospital. The test results found Warren’s blood alcohol content was 0.212 – nearly three times the legal driving limit.
Police charged Warren with Operating Under the Influence of Liquor with a high BAC (blood alcohol content). The charge is also known as “super drunk.” However, if intoxicated driving causes you to crash, you can be charged with Operating Under the Influence of Liquor regardless of your BAC. Contact our skilled Michigan DUI team if you are facing a super drunk charge.
What Does “Super Drunk” in Michigan Mean?
A driver whose blood-alcohol content is 0.08 percent or higher can be arrested and charged with drunk driving. If a driver’s BAC is 0.17, he or she faces a more serious “super drunk” charge.
Michigan lawmakers passed the state’s original drunk driving law in 1960. However, they enacted the super DUI law more recently. The “super drunk” law was enacted in 2008 and took effect in 2010. Super drunk is also known as Michigan’s Super Drunk OWI Law, or just “Super DUI.”
Harsher penalties for drivers with a BAC of 0.17 or higher include up to 180 days in jail. You will get up to 93 days for a DUI under a BAC of 0.17.
The fine for a conviction for “super drunk” in Michigan is at least $200 but not more than $700. Drivers who exceed the “super Drunk” threshold usually pay double the fines associated with other DUI convictions. Drivers convicted of these offenses receive a one-year license suspension, as opposed to six months for DUI.
After a 45-day driver’s license suspension period, a super drunk offender must enter into a 320-day period of restricted driving privileges. They may only operate a car with a restricted license. They must get a Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device fitted to their vehicle.
They can usually only drive to certain places like their job, school, community service, hospitals or probation.
Michigan’s Super Drunk law only applies to people with no previous drunk driving offenses in the seven years before their arrest. If a court gave you a DUI conviction in the previous seven years, you will be charged as a second-time offender or a repeat offender.
How Many Drinks Make You Super Drunk in Michigan?
You should never try to second guess the drunk driving laws based on the number of drunks you consume. Different people react differently to alcohol. Men are usually more alcohol-tolerant than women. An officer can charge you with Operating While Visibly Impaired even if your BAC is below 0.08 percent if you posed an observable danger to others or yourself behind the wheel.
Typically, a unit of alcohol can raise your bodily alcohol content by about .025. It takes about six to eight alcoholic drinks for you to test at 0.17 BAC or more.
What Are the Long Term Consequences of Being Super Drunk in Michigan?
A conviction for being super drunk in Michigan can wreck your career. Rep. Rebekah Warren recognized as much when she was arrested the day after Christmas. You will face the loss of your driver’s license for a period, and your insurance premiums will rise. Some insurers will drop you altogether after a super drunk conviction. However, defense attorneys may be able to get a “super drunk” charge reduced to an OWI.
Third parties will be able to access your records. While a standard DUI/OWI is bad enough, a super drunk conviction is more serious. It implies you got in your car when you were a real danger to others.
Drunk driving has a massive financial and emotional effect on the lives of defendants. They often lose their jobs. Family ties break down.
Talk to an Attorney About a “Super Drunk” in Michigan Charge
A charge of super drunk in Michigan is serious. You face time behind bars, a large fine, up to 180 days in jail, and a loss of driving privileges. Talk to an experienced Michigan Super Drunk DUI lawyer as soon as you can after your arrest. At George Law, our attorney will fight your charges hard and make a strong case for leniency. We will look for inconsistencies in the case prosecutors bring against you. Find out more about our Detroit area DUI defense lawyers at 248-470-4300.