Penalties increase with subsequent DWI/DWAI violations
New York state police recently arrested a man in Hampton Bays because he failed to keep in the right lane. The driver appeared to be intoxicated, and he was taken to the state police barracks at Riverside. His blood alcohol content was measured at .12%, and he was charged with Driving While Intoxicated (DWI.) At this point, the case was unremarkable, but further investigation revealed that the driver had a prior conviction for DWI. Thus, the new violation became a felony. The case demonstrates how a driver's past record for drunk driving can follow him or her for many years.New York law increases penalties for DWI or Driving While Ability Impaired by a drug (DWAI) if the driver has one or more prior DWI or DWAI violations within a previous [...]