What are the criminal charges I can face?
The criminal case is based on the “DUI Law” in Washington State, which is composed of three different statutes, the Driving Under the Influence charge, the Physical Control charge, and the Minor Driving After Drinking charge. Driving Under the Influence (DUI) refers to operating a motor vehicle while affected by alcohol, drugs, or both. This applies to both legal and illegal drugs, including prescription medication and over-the-counter drugs. The statute is RCW 46.61.502. The Physical Control charge is similar to the DUI charge, but is used in the case when someone allegedly under the influence is in a car without actually driving. Falling asleep at a stoplight is one example of this charge. The statute is RCW 46.61.504. Physical Control is treated the same as DUI for most all purposes. (When you see charts or read discussions referring to DUI this means ÒDUI and Physical Control.Ó) One of the only differences is that Physical Control has an effective defense, which says that if prior
