Is There a Certain Demographic of the Population That Is Predominately Involved with a DWI Charge?
Interviewer: Is there any typical person that you get that gets arrested for DWI?
Jack O’Donnell: No, there’s no profile whatsoever. Young, middle-aged, old, male, female, age or income level does not matter when it comes to being charged with DWI.
It Can Be Difficult to Gauge How Much Alcohol Consumption Can Result in a Level over the Legal Limit
Interviewer: Of the people you’ve had as clients, are the majority of them close to the legal limit of the .08 blood alcohol level? Or do they tend to be actually ‘driving drunk’, with very high blood alcohol levels?
Jack O’Donnell: Well, of course I have encountered them all but the majority of people that seek attorneys are the ones who have the elevated blood alcohol levels. This is because they do think that they are in more trouble than the others and that’s not quite true.
They are all in trouble, they all need help, and it’s just a question of whether or not they all seek it.
In Connecticut, Drivers under the Age of 21 Who Have Lower Blood Alcohol Levels May Face Less Severe Penalties
Interviewer: I know some states have lesser penalties if your blood alcohol level is below .08. Does Connecticut have similar statutes in place?
Jack O’Donnell: Only if you’re under 21.
Interviewer: If you’re under 21, what’s the blood alcohol limit that you have to exceed and you are going to be in trouble?
Jack O’Donnell: Drivers, under the age of 21, with a blood alcohol level of over .02 will face charges. As a reminder to young adults, if you weigh less than 160 pounds and consume just one beer, you most likely will already be at the .02 level.
Interviewer: That is an important reminder.
Connecticut’s State Law No Longer Permits a Reduced Charge of ‘Operating While Impaired’
Jack O’Donnell: So there is no lesser included offense, meaning that there’s nothing for a prosecutor to reduce the charge to as in so many other offenses. In the past, we had ‘operating while impaired’ and our legislature did away with that.