Michigan Criminal Lawyers Blog
On Tuesday afternoon September 29th, Olympic swimming great Michael Phelps apologized after he was arrested on suspicion of DUI for a second time. Phelps was arrested for driving under the influence in 2004. This time, the Olympian is charged with DUI, crossing double-lane lines, and excessive speeding, according to a news article at ESPN. The incident occurred in Baltimore on Interstate 95 in the Fort McHenry Tunnel, when officers pulled Phelps over for speeding. He allegedly failed field sobriety tests.
In his apology, Phelps acknowledged his arrest and said that he took full responsibility for his actions, which he understands are severe. He went on to say that he was deeply sorry to those he had let down.
Phelps was allegedly driving his Land Rover when he came through the tunnel doing 84 mph in a 45 mph zone. Following his first DUI arrest in Maryland in 2004, Phelps was fined $250 and put on 18 months probation. He also delivered presentations to students at three area high schools regarding alcohol awareness.
If found guilty of this latest DUI charge, Phelps would face a $1,000 fines, driver’s license suspension, and up to one year in jail, according to CNS News. Because it has been over five years since the first DUI, Phelps would not be charged as a second time offender.
In the state of Michigan, anyone who is charged with a second DUI within seven years of the first will be charged as a second time offender. If convicted, the penalties may include fines of up to $1,000, a maximum of one year in jail (minimum of 5 days), driver’s license revocation, possible community service and vehicle immobilization, and more. The consequences for a second conviction are severe.
There are a variety of defenses used by Michigan DUI defense attorneys to fight charges of driving while intoxicated. For example, you may have been stopped when the police officer had no reasonable suspicion to pull you over. Breath test results could have been affected by medication, or equipment used to measure your blood alcohol content may not have been functioning properly. In addition, whether you successfully complete a field sobriety test is left up to the opinion of the officer who administered the test. DUI is a tricky situation, which is why it is critical you obtain the legal guidance of a skilled and aggressive defense lawyer. Don’t pay the fine and “do the time,” as a DUI conviction will leave you with a criminal record that may follow you throughout your life, affecting employment opportunities and more.