Charleston DUI Law Blog

Residents of South Carolina have likely heard the Cinderella stories about individuals who end up on a reality TV show and become rich and famous. However, those that have fame still have to deal with the law. Two cast members of the show "Myrtle Manor" have learned this over the past couple of weeks as they are now both facing drunk driving charges.

In some situations, a routine traffic stop can take a turn for the worse if a police officer believes that there is an aroma of alcohol coming from the vehicle. This is exactly what happened to the cast member who was most recently charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.

Drinking and driving can have serious consequences. The most severe type of DUI charge is a felony DUI. However, the consequences for this type of DUI can become quite severe if the alleged drunk driver has a prior record with multiple offenses. In addition to harsher penalties, loss of certain privileges can also result for a convicted offender. A man who was charged with felony DUI in Charleston County, South Carolina experienced this scenario recently.

The man was initially charged with felony DUI in January, after his involvement in a car accident that resulted in a tragic fatality. According to bystanders, the man appeared to get out of his truck after the collision and throw a six pack of beer over the side of the guard rail. However, the man's charges were eventually changed from felony DUI to reckless homicide. He was also released on bond.

DUI charges often come with severe penalties and consequences. However, those penalties and consequences vary depending upon the nature of the circumstances surrounding the issuing of charges and how authorities allegedly determined the individual was driving under the influence of alcohol. One particular circumstance that can increase the severity of punishment is when the individual has a high breath test. A person's occupation or profession can also make the consequences more harmful for the accused.

A recent situation in South Carolina involved both a high breath test and a profession that made the situation even more unfortunate for the alleged drunk driver. A police officer who was employed with the North Charleston Police Department was charged with DUI after she wrecked her police cruiser. In addition, the officer allegedly blew a .17 BAC, which is more than twice the legal limit. In South Carolina, a breath test is considered high when the driver's blood alcohol content is higher than .15.

Previous postings in this blog have discussed the unfortunate situations that result when South Carolina drivers get behind the wheel of their car after consuming too much alcohol. These actions often lead to drunk driving charges. Sometimes, drunk driving charges occur only after a driver is pulled over by authorities for the commission of another traffic offense or after getting in a car accident. This is exactly what recently happened to a South Carolina driver.

The driver was leaving a parking garage around 11:00 p.m. on a Sunday evening when he hit the pay booth and two other vehicles. The driver also allegedly broke the parking garage exit arm before losing control of his vehicle and hitting a tree. The man stopped his car at a parking lot approximately two blocks away. Police proceeded to arrest him. He was charged with driving under the influence, as well as other traffic violations.