Anyone who is accused of driving drunk in Portsmouth may feel embarrassed about an arrest, especially since drunk driving is dangerous and puts others at risk of being injured in serious car accidents. A drunk driving charge may also cause folks to become extremely worried about their future.
A drunk driving charge or conviction can have a negative impact on one’s career, reputation and personal life in Virginia. For these reasons, it is important that folks consult an attorney to make sure they minimize the impact that a DUI arrest, charge or conviction can have on their lives. In some situations, folks may be able to avoid a conviction entirely, keeping their reputations, relationships and careers intact.
Recently, a Chesapeake sheriff’s deputy who had been put on unpaid administrative leave for a DUI arrest was cleared of the drunk driving charge. Although the deputy was found not guilty of DUI, he was found guilty of hit-and-run and will face penalties for the offense.
The deputy was arrested in November 2012. According to reports, the man had allegedly struck another vehicle while driving and failed to stop after the accident. The man did stop his vehicle to park in a parking lot shortly after the alleged accident. After parking in the lot, the deputy was arrested for DUI and hit-and-run.
Last week, the deputy was found guilty of the hit-and-run charge. He may need to pay a fine for the conviction. The deputy was not convicted of drunk driving, though. Reports have not stated why the officer was found not guilty of the charge or what sort of defense he had used to fight the charge.
The DUI could have put the deputy’s career at risk if he had been convicted of the charge. It is not clear whether the hit-and-run conviction will affect the man’s career, though. The deputy has been on unpaid administrative leave since his arrest last fall.
Source: WAVY.com, “Sheriff’s deputy guilty in hit and run,” May 2, 2013