An Asheville man has just been convicted of his 17th DWI, since 1983. Accordingly, the man was penalized heavily this time, and will spend the next seven years in prison due to his habitual drinking.
This is an astonishing amount of DWIs for anyone. It has been said that the average person may receive one, at best, DWI or DUI in their lifetime. The defendant however, has far surpassed that, totaling to what 17 people may have received in their whole life.
According to the Buncombe County District Attorney, the 55-year-old defendant’s Blood Alcohol Level (or BAC) at the time of his most recent DWI arrest was 0.24, which is over three times more than the legal limit of .08 in North Carolina.
The defendant’s first DWI arrest was back in 1983. This averages out to 1.76 DWIs per year. That is an extraordinary amount of DWIs for anyone, no matter that the circumstances are.
Lastly, this defendant has been adjudicated three times as a “habitual DWI offender” since his first arrest. To obtain that charge, the defendant must have had at least four impaired driving offenses within the past 10 years.
It is not a crime to drink. However, it is a crime in both North and South Carolina to drink and drive. If you have been charged with a DUI in South Carolina, or a DWI in North Carolina, contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP toll-free at 877-374-5999.