Loudoun County Authorities Charge Virginia Woman with Child Endangerment & DUI
Local authorities in Loudoun County arrested a Virginia woman and charged her with child endangerment and DUI, according to an article by the Loudoun Times-Mirror.
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office responded to an automotive accident on August 1st at approximately 10 p.m. When deputies arrived at the scene near City Center Boulevard and Harry Byrd Highway, the Virginia woman was apparently impaired and had an open container of alcohol in the vehicle as well as a minor passenger.
As a result of this incident, the authorities charged this Virginia woman with child endangerment and DUI. While the legal process develops for this Virginia woman, it seems like an opportune moment to review the Virginia penalties for child endangerment and DUI.
What are the Virginia Penalties for Child Endangerment?
The state penalties for child endangerment appear at Code of Virginia Section 18.2-371.1. Under this section, a person commits child endangerment if they willfully abuse or willfully refuse to provide adequate care to a child in their care.
More specifically, if a parent, guardian, or a person with similar responsibility abuses or neglects a child, and:
- There was a reckless disregard for human life — Then the offender is guilty of a Class 6 felony and subject to imprisonment for one to five years and criminal fines up to $2,500; or
- The child sustained serious physical injury — Then the offender is guilty of a Class 4 felony and subject to imprisonment for two to 10 years and criminal fines up to $100,000.
What are the Virginia Penalties for DUI?
The state penalties for DUI appear at Code of Virginia Section 18.2-270. Under this section, DUI offenses are typically punishable as Class 1 misdemeanors. Virginia law, though, provides for various mandatory minimum levels of punishment for DUI offenders.
From a general standpoint, Virginia law applies the following penalties to DUI offenses:
- First Conviction — Class 1 misdemeanor with a mandatory minimum of $250 in criminal fines and, in certain cases, a 10-day jail sentence;
- Second Conviction — Class 1 misdemeanor with a mandatory minimum of $500 in criminal fines and, ordinarily, a jail sentence of 10 to 20 days;
- Third Conviction — Class 6 felony with a mandatory minimum of $1,000 in criminal fines and, ordinarily, a prison sentence of 90 days to six months; or
- Fourth or Subsequent Conviction — Class 6 felony with a mandatory minimum of $1,000 in criminal fines and, ordinarily, a prison sentence of 12 months.
In addition to the criminal fines and confinement periods above, DUI offenders are also subject to mandatory driver’s license suspension under Code of Virginia Section 18.2-271. Depending on the number of previous convictions, if any, the applicable suspension period is typically one to three years.
Contact Us Today for Help
If you need legal help with criminal charges for child endangerment or DUI in Virginia, it can be highly productive to contact a Virginia DUI defense attorney. The attorneys at Simms Showers LLP have the skill and experience needed to defend against a variety of criminal charges in Virginia, including child endangerment and DUI. If you need legal help with criminal defense, contact us today for a free initial consultation.
Resource:
loudountimes.com/news/sterling-woman-charged-with-dwi-child-endangerment-after-crash/article_e09e82c4-e643-11ea-b6f0-d7c711f509a7.html
https://www.simmsshowerslaw.com/repeat-dui-offender-arrested-after-fleeing-virginia-police/
