Underage DWI Attorney in Ocean County
Underage DWI Lawyer in Lacey Township, NJ
Underage Driving While Intoxicated Charges are commonly referred to as a “Baby DWIs.” An underage DWI is a very serious offense for a young person because it is illegal in the state of New Jersey for anyone under the age of 21 to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of ANY amount of alcohol. Underage DWIs can be distinguished from regular DWIs because the individual’s Blood Alcohol Content need only be .01% or higher to be charged with Driving While Intoxicated, as opposed to. 08% in the case of an “of age” driver. The penalties associated with an Underage DWI are severe. In cases where the youth’s BAC is between .01% and .08%, the offender faces between thirty and ninety days license suspension, community service and fines. If the individual’s BAC is higher than .08%, then the driver will face the normal penalties for Driving While Intoxicated in New Jersey. Essentially, the child will bear the same consequences faced by adults. As you can see, the penalties for an underage DWI are extraordinarily grave, and may lead to increased complications with employment and education. To speak with a skilled and experienced Ocean County underage DWI Lawyer, please feel free to contact our Toms River office at (848) 238-2100 for a free consultation.
Underage DWI in New Jersey: N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.14
The New Jersey statute governing Underage DWI is N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.14 which reads in pertinent part for your convenience:
§ 39:4-50.14. Penalties for underage person operating motor vehicle after consuming alcohol
Any person under the legal age to purchase alcoholic beverages who operates a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.01% or more, but less than 0.08%, by weight of alcohol in his blood, shall forfeit his right to operate a motor vehicle over the highways of this State or shall be prohibited from obtaining a license to operate a motor vehicle in this State for a period of not less than 30 or more than 90 days beginning on the date he becomes eligible to obtain a license or on the day of conviction, whichever is later, and shall perform community service for a period of not less than 15 or more than 30 days.
In addition, the person shall satisfy the program and fee requirements of an Intoxicated Driver Resource Center or participate in a program of alcohol education and highway safety as prescribed by the chief administrator.
The penalties provided under the provisions of this section shall be in addition to the penalties which the court may impose under N.J.S.A. 2C:33-15, R.S. 33:1-81, R.S. 39:4-50 or any other law.
Contact a Brick NJ Attorney for DWI as a Minor
If your child has been charged with Underage Drinking and Driving in the State of New Jersey, then it is important that you seek out and retain skilled and experienced NJ DWI defense lawyers. Will Proetta, our firm’s founding attorney, is certified in the correct maintenance and operation of the Alcotest 7110, the “breathalyzer” equipment used by New Jersey Law enforcement in gauging BAC. Furthermore, he is a certified instructor in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing. This experience enables the attorneys at the Law Offices of William Proetta Criminal Law to diligently scrutinize the state’s case against you or your child. Our lawyers represent youth’s who are looking to beat underage DWI charges in Ocean County including Toms River, Stafford, Barnegat, Lacey, Seaside, Point Pleasant, Berkeley, Tuckerton, and Little Egg Harbor. To speak with a lawyer regarding an Ocean County underage DWI, call us at (848) 238-2100.