Plenty of people think they can safely drive home from the bar while intoxicated. However, Colorado police are out in full force. In 2017 alone, police arrested over 10,000 Colorado residents on suspicion of DUI.
If you ever find yourself in custody over a DUI charge, then you need to go about the process wisely. That may involve trying to reduce your charges to only a wet reckless. A lot of people have never heard the term “wet reckless” before, so here is everything you need to know about it.
It is common for first-time DUI charges
When you need to go to court for DUI charges, you and your legal team need to decide which defense to use. It is common for people without any prior offenses to opt for pleading guilty to wet reckless. You cannot have any other DUI charges on your record. It will also help if your blood alcohol content was at or just below 0.08 percent. Getting a wet reckless on your record is highly preferable over getting a DUI.
The penalties for wet reckless are lenient
With a DUI conviction, the state will automatically suspend your driver’s license. The same is not true for a wet reckless. You will need to appeal to your local DMV to not suspend your license, and generally, you need to do this within seven days of the initial arrest. You will likely not have any jail time, but there may be a small fine. Additionally, you will only be on probation between one and two years rather than between three to five years for a DUI.
Wet reckless charges can increase sentencing for future DUIs
If the police arrest you again for DUI in the future, then having a wet reckless on your record could increase the sentencing. You probably will not be able to plead down the charges again. It is paramount to avoid drinking and driving at all.
