St. Louis Toughens Up on DWI Laws

First-time DWI offenders in St. Louis can accept a plea bargain that will essentially erase their charges from their driving records--until now.

St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay has told prosecutors that this practice of throwing out DWI charges in exchange for a plea bargain must stop.  Instead, Slay is promoting a new agenda that requires ignition interlock devices to be installed on anyone's vehicle who has made poor decisions in regards to drinking and driving.

Slay wants to send a clear message about the consequences people will face if they choose to drive drunk.  This comes after the St. Louis Dispatch reported that St. Louis was the most lenient city in the state of Missouri when it comes to enforcing DWI laws. 

According to the report, lower charges, such as reckless driving, would be applied in lieu of DWI charges. Under the new proposed policy, this will no longer be acceptable. Judges can still offer probation, but DWI charges can no longer be replaced with charges for a non-alcohol related offense.

The goal of this new policy is to have a uniform set of laws and penalties for those charged and convicted of DWI. However, this could be difficult, given that each DWI case is unique depending on such factors as the driver's BAC level, if anyone was injured or killed in an accident, if a breathalyzer test was refused, or if children were in the vehicle.

To learn more about the DWI laws in your state, please click here to find a DWI attorney near you