Charleston DUI / DWI Defense Attorneys

Contact The Hanzel Law Firm: Serving Charleston & Surrounding Areas

If you have been pulled over for drunk driving or charged with a DUI, whether or not there were injuries or other vehicles involved, you are facing serious criminal consequences. Here at The Hanzel Law Firm, we have experience both prosecuting and defending DUI cases. We understand that DUI is a crime that regularly affects people who have no experience with the criminal justice system because they are not criminals. We will listen to your side of the story, examine the evidence and give you an honest assessment of where your case stands and what the best approach is.

At The Hanzel Law Firm, we know that it only takes a momentary lapse in judgment to be arrested for drunk driving. Our Charleston DUI attorney can intervene on your behalf to resolve your situation as expeditiously as possible.

Military DUI / DWI: Protecting Service Members in South Carolina

We understand what the reporting requirements are and what your commands can do to you and how to best defend yourself and your career. We also can defend service members worldwide facing Article 15 / NJP, administrative separation or court-martial for DUI / DWI. Contact us so you don’t run afoul of the complicated military rules that you must follow when you get arrested for a DUI.

What is a DUI Felony in South Carolina?

DUI in South Carolina is considered a misdemeanor. A DUI is a felony if there is evidence of the following:

• Physical harm to someone else that leads to great bodily injury or death
• Driver violated at least one traffic offenses
• The act of the driver is the proximate cause (if the driver was not there then the injury would not have occurred) of serious bodily injury or death.

What counts as “great bodily injury” are life-threatening injuries, lead to permanent disfigurement or the loss of an organ or impairment of an organ.

Penalties of Felony DUI in South Carolina

If a serious bodily injury occurs, the penalty is a jail sentence between 30 days - 15 years (can’t be suspended or be given probation), a fine between $5,000 - $10,000, and have your license suspended for the period of incarceration plus 3 years.

If death occurs, the sentence is between 1 - 25 years (can’t be suspended on probation) and a fine ranging from $10,000 - $25,000, license will also be suspended during the incarceration plus 5 years.

If multiple deaths occur, all of the sentences will be given to the criminal concurrently or consecutively.

Is your License Suspended Immediately After a DUI in SC?

You will lose your driver’s license for a first DUI in South Carolina for 6 months. If a driver is enrolled in the ADSAP program, you can get a provisional license which will allow you to drive while your license is suspended. On top of having your license suspended for 6 months, you will also face the following punishments:

• Jail time from 48 hours to 30 days
• Fines ranging from $400 - $1000

Military Breathalyzer and Drunk on Duty Cases

If your command is trying to punish you based on the results of a random hand-held breathalyzer test, you need to know your rights. The military is limited in how they can use the results of a breathalyzer, and errors are often made by commands. We know the limits on what breathalyzers can be used for and can help save your career from an overzealous command.