Mississippi DUI Lawyer Explains Aggravated DUI in Mississippi

Mississippi DUI law contains tough penalties for persons who drive under the influence and cause serious injury or death to another person. 

Under Mississippi Code Annotated Section 63-11-30(5),

Every person who operates any motor vehicle [under the influence] and who in a negligent manner causes the death of another or mutilates, disfigures, permanently disables or destroys the tongue, eye, lip, nose, or any other limb, organ or member of another shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a separate felony for each such [injury or death]….

This is commonly referred to as Aggravated DUI. 

The potential sentence for Aggravated DUI in Mississippi is five (5) years (minimum) to twenty-five (25) years (maximum) for each such injury. 

In Mississippi, DUI-related injury and death cases are usually punished more harshly than violent crimes which are intentionally committed.  It is not unusual to see sentences at or near the maximum for Aggravated DUI.

Been arrested for Aggravated DUI in Mississippi?  You need an experienced DUI lawyer to protect your rights.  Please contact me at 601.944.1984 to discuss your case.  There is no charge for an initial consultation.

Jackson, Mississippi DUI Lawyer Discusses Field Sobriety Tests

All police officers who arrest drivers for DUI in Mississippi are trained in field sobriety testing.  The most common training comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, for short.  The field sobriety tests taught by NHTSA include the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test, the walk-and-turn test, and the one-leg stand test.

If you get stopped for DUI in Mississippi, you should never take these tests.  At the point that an officer asks you to take these tests, he has already decided he is going to arrest you for DUI.  These tests do nothing more than give the officer additional evidence to use against you.  These tests cannot help you, but they can certainly hurt you.  Mississippi DUI law does not require you to take these tests, and there is no penalty for refusing to take the tests.  If you get pulled over in Mississippi for DUI, you should refuse to take any field sobriety tests.

If you have been arrested for DUI in Mississippi, please contact us at 601.944.1984, or visit our Jackson, MS DUI Defense website for more information.

Ridgeland, Mississippi DUI Lawyer Explains What Tests The Police May Ask You To Take

If you get arrested for DUI in Mississippi, the officer will likely ask you to give a sample of your breath.  This is done by blowing into a device called the Intoxilyzer 8000.  This is usually done at a local Sheriff’s Office or police department.  Under Mississippi DUI law, officers may also ask that you provide a sample of your blood or urine for testing.  However, in Mississippi, blood or urine tests are not usually requested unless the DUI suspect was involved in an accident, or if the officer suspects the driver is under the influence of a substance other than alcohol.

If you get charged with DUI in Mississippi, the law provides for testing to help the police prove you are guilty of DUI.  However, even if your breath sample shows that your blood alcohol concentration is over .08%, you still may be able to beat the DUI charge. 

Curt Crowley is a DUI lawyer in Jackson, Mississippi.  If you have been arrested for DUI, please contact us at 601.944.1984, or visit our Mississippi DUI lawyer website for more information.  There is no charge for an initial consultation.