Starting July 1, there’s a new Connecticut DUI / DWI / OUI law that is going to cause headaches for thousands of people arrested as first time offenders in Connecticut for DUI / DWI under 14-227a and 14-227g. As the best Stamford and Greenwich Connecticut DUI / DWI / OUI criminal lawyers know, this new law will likely impact approximately 6000 first time DUI / DWI offenders this year in Connecticut. Under the new law, any Connecticut first time offender arrested in Connecticut for DUI / DWI who is able to get a DUI first time offenders diversionary program will be required to install an “Ignition Interlock Device” (called an “IID”) in their motor vehicle.
So if you are arrested for DUI / DWI in Stamford, Greenwich, New Canaan, Ridgefield, Darien or anywhere else in Connecticut, check out these Connecticut DUI / DWI Frequently Asked Questions below to learn if you are going to be required to install an IID in your car while you are fighting your Connecticut DUI / DWI arrest. The first step to getting your Connecticut DUI / DWI arrest dismissed starts here…
As the best Connecticut DUI / DWI criminal lawyers and attorneys know, there are two categories of people arrested for DUI / DWI in Connecticut who will be required to install the Ignition Interlock Devices in their cars under the new law:
(1) anyone who is arrested on or after July 1, 2015, and granted the Connecticut Pre-Trial Alcohol Education Program (the “IDIP”) in Connecticut; and
(2) anyone who pleads guilty to DUI / DWI in Connecticut as a first time offender or a repeat offender (regardless of the date that they were arrested in Connecticut for DUI / DWI).
The top Connecticut criminal lawyers and attorneys who regularly fight DUI /DWI arrests in the Danbury, Bridgeport, Norwalk and Stamford courthouses can often get your first time DUI / DWI arrest dismissed by making a motion to the court to suspend prosecution of your Connecticut DUI / DWI arrest case and admit you into the Pre-Trial Alcohol Education Program (click here for a full explanation of the Alcohol Education Program). In the past, if you got this program, you would not have to use an IID. However, under the new law, it’s mandatory.
It’s a device that’s installed next to your steering wheel that requires you to blow a breath sample into a tube. Your car engine will not start if you blow at a level of .025 or above (remember the legal limit is .08 for anyone age 21 or older; the legal limit .02 for anyone under 21 in Connecticut). And while you are driving, you will be required to submit additional breath samples at random intervals of time. Depending on your age, the .025 threshold may vary, especially for first time Connecticut DUI / DWI offenders who are under 21. Follow this link for more info on Connecticut arrests for under 21 DUIs / DWIs / OUIs.
As the best Stamford Connecticut DUI / DWI criminal lawyers know, getting caught violating the new Ignition Interlock Device laws can have devastating consequences, including mandatory jail time. Tampering with an IID device (or having someone else blow into it for you) can be reported to law enforcement who can then arrest you under CGS 14-215. Failure to comply with Ignition Interlock Device laws can also qualify as a misdemeanor arrest in Stamford, Greenwich or anywhere else in Connecticut, and if you are found guilty for a first offense, then, in some cases, you will be facing up to 1 year in jail, with a 30 day mandatory minimum jail sentence! Second and repeat offenses for failing to comply with Ignition Interlock Device laws can also carry 120 and 1 year mandatory minimums, so be sure you consult with a top Wilton, New Canaan or Greenwich Connecticut DUI / DWI criminal lawyer attorney before you start using your IID.
You do of course (yet another way the State of Connecticut makes a little bit of profit off your misfortunes). So buckle up for application fees, IID fees, and restoration fees. Once you are granted the Pretrial Alcohol Education program by the Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, Milford or Danbury Superior Courts, the Connecticut DMV will send you a notice that requires you to apply for an Ignition Interlock Device. The DMV will then provide you with a list of pre-approved vendors and installation information. You can also consult with your top Danbury, Wilton or Ridgefield Connecticut DUI / DWI / OUI criminal lawyer attorney for more information.
The team of experienced Greenwich and Stamford Connecticut DUI / DWI criminal lawyers at Mark Sherman Law are well-versed on the new Connecticut Ignition Interlock Device laws, and are ready to help you get your DUI / DWI arrest in Stamford, Darien, New Canaan, Wilton or Westport Connecticut dismissed as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. We appreciate how damaging a Connecticut DUI / DWI arrest can be to your personal and professional reputations, so not only will we work with you to try and get your case dismissed, but our team of internet scrubbing lawyers can attempt to get your online Connecticut DUI / DWI arrest reports removed from the internet. So call us today at (203) 358-4700.
