June 21, 2008
Alaska DUI Laws and Punishments
By admin
In Alaska you will face many of the same punishments as in other states. The legal blood alcohol content is 0.08% for an adult over the age of 21 as in most other states. The punishments include jail time, fines, license suspension, court-order substance abuse classes, and ignition locking devices..
Upon your arrest you have seven days to petition the Division of Motor Vehicles to setup a hearing to keep your license. You will face a suspension of your license when arrested for any DUI offense but in some cases can retain it or get a restricted license for getting to and from work.
For a first offense it will be classified as a Class A misdemeanor. You will be facing a maximum jail term of one year with a fine of $1,500. There is also a 90 day license suspension.
A second conviction is also a Class A misdemeanor offense and carries a jail term of up to one year. There’s a minimum sentence of 20 days in jail and a fine of $3,000. You may also be able to serve the jail term on house arrest or in a community center if the court deems it appropriate. Your license will be suspended for a minimum of one year.
A third conviction within ten years of a prior offense is a Class C felony and carries a maximum prison term of 5 years, with a mandatory minimum of 120 days. You will also have $10,000 fine and your license will be permanently suspended. Your vehicle may also be seized under a forfeiture statute. You can apply to get your license back in ten years if you can prove you had no other criminal convictions and were financially responsible.
If your third conviction is not within ten years of a prior offense the penalties are lesser. It will be classified as a Class A misdemeanor, carry a 60 day mandatory minimum jail sentence, and a $4,000 fine. You will also have your license revoked for three years.
On a fourth conviction within ten years you will be facing a Class C felony, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 240 days in jail with a $10,000 fine. The maximum jail term that you could serve is five years. You license will be permanently suspended and your car may be seized. You also might be able to get your license back in ten years if you can prove that you were not convicted of any other criminal offenses or were financially irresponsible during that ten year period.
If your fourth conviction is not within ten years of a prior offense the penalties are lesser. It will be classified as a Class A misdemeanor, carry a 120 day mandatory minimum jail sentence, and a $5,000 fine. You will also have your license revoked for five years.
In Alaska you may also be able to get house arrest with an electronic monitoring device instead of jail time. This is usually for first and second time offenders.
Topics: State Laws |