The consequences for a DUI in homestate

My brother is SCREWED:

First conviction (over age 21) — Class Amisdemeanor with possible 0-12 months imprisonment; loss of driving privileges for minimum 1 year; 100 hours community service; fines of up to $2,500; eligible for Restricted Driving Permit (RDP); may be required to have a BAIID installed in vehicle as part of driving relief.

Yeah. He’s got a lawyer (add $1700) who says that J will not get jail time, will get the RDP so he can go to work, but will probably have to do all 100 hours of community service and pay most of the fines because he hit and damaged a guard rail. He also will have to carry "high risk" vehicle insurance which costs about $1500 more a year than what he’s paying right now. So, while he won’t be in jail, he’ll be in debt up to his ears. He’s going to have to ask our grandmother for the money. There’s just no way around it. I don’t have that kind of money to help him out. Not that Nathan would LET me help with money since he fully believes in consequences and J was legally over the limit. The only way I’ll be able to help is to pick him up and drop him off at work if he doesn’t get the RDP. Thankfully my parents have a spare car he can use.

All I can say is, it’s his own damn fault. I love him and I’m glad he’s not hurt, but he could have hurt himself or somebody else. What a completely irresponsible thing to do. If I were a stronger person, I would kick his ass. As it is, I’m just a mean and vindictive person. I’m going to clip his name and "offense" out of the police blotter when it shows up in the newspaper and laminate it then put it in a card and give it to him. And when it’s his day to pick up trash on the side of the interstate (his "community service") I’m going to drive by and take photos to send to him. Yeah, I’m a mean bitch like that. I don’t think he fully appreciates the world of hurt he could have put us all through and is currently putting us through. Yup. I’m gonna say it. JERK. There. I said it. The way my GRANDMOTHER says it. He deserves it.

that sucks…Pat had to do community service too, but they wouldn’t give him the permit to drive to work. AZ doesn’t allow that.

jjumpingj

May 19, 2009

You could even do a neat scrapbook on all the parks and roads he gets to “visit”. In his clean-up jumpsuit and stuff. I’d drive FOR you so’s you could take better pictures. No sense being out of focus! He has it coming. He could have killed someone.

Peridot

May 20, 2009

That sucks. I mean, it’s easy to be angry when it’s someone you don’t know, but when it’s your own family it’s a whole lot more complicated. I’m sorry you have to go through this.

wunderkont

that really really sucks, but I totally agree with you. All my brother’s troubles and not ONE DUI, I almost want to feel sorry for your brother, he doesn’t sound like as big a mess as mine