The consequences of an operating while intoxicated conviction in Iowa are serious. Even a first-time OWI can result in driver's license suspension, significant fines and a jail sentence. Given the severe penalties it may make sense to challenge the prosecution's evidence of intoxication whenever possible.
How reliable are field sobriety tests?
Drunk driving can lead to vehicular homicide charges
People in Iowa know that, unfortunately, drunk driving happens. Whether it's because a person doesn't realize how much they've had to drink, they don't feel like waiting and paying for a cab, or if they flat-out choose to risk not getting caught even though they know they've had too much to drink, drunk driving happens. Of course, none of these reasons are an excuse to drive drunk, just ask anyone who has ever been charged with OWI.
Mother arrested at son's school for DUI
People in Iowa may have heard about an unpleasant scene that unfolded at a Des Moines elementary school earlier this month. When nobody came to pick up a 5-year-old boy after school had been dismissed, police came to the scene to try to resolve the situation. Apparently, the boy's father was supposed to pick up the boy, but failed to do so for unknown reasons. The boy's mother arrived to pick up the boy around 5 p.m., but she appeared to be under the influence and was arrested for operating while intoxicated.
Understanding the penalties with boating while intoxicated
Most people in Iowa know that driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is against the law, but what about operating other vehicles? Over the last couple of years, Iowa laws have become increasingly tough on people who operate other motorized vehicles while intoxicated, especially in regards to the crime of boating while intoxicated.
An overview of OWI laws in Iowa
People in Iowa know that drunk driving charges can be serious business, but not everyone knows exactly what it means to be considered a drunk driver under Iowa state law. Drunk driving, or OWI, which stands for "operating while intoxicated", is defined in three ways. A person commits OWI when they do any of the following: 1) operating a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol, drugs or any combination thereof, 2) operating a motor vehicle while having a BAC of .08 or more, or 3) operating a motor vehicle while having any controlled substance in a person's body.
