Texas DWI Second Offense

Did you know that a DWI second offense is one of the most serious types of misdemeanors in the state? Indeed, if you were recently charged with a second DWI, you face anywhere from 30 days to one year in jail, as well as hefty fines, a lengthy license suspension and mandatory DWI school.

As a Class A Misdemeanor, a second DWI conviction carries severe penalties. If you are found guilty, expect to spend at least 72 hours behind bars. You should also be prepared to pay up to $4,000 in fines, as well as a $1,500 yearly surcharge for the next three years. At $2,000, the fines are even steeper if your blood alcohol content was 0.16% or more.

If you are convicted of a second offense, your driver’s license will also be suspended for at least 180 days, or as long as 2 years. As a repeat DWI offender, you will be ordered to attend DWI school and have an ignition interlock device installed in your vehicle at your own expense. You will also have to perform a minimum of 80 hours of community service (or as much as 200 hours), and may face probation as well.

Even after you have completed your sentence, the penalties for a second offense are far from over. A DWI conviction will remain on your driving record for the rest of your life, which can make it difficult to obtain certain jobs, and will lead to steep insurance premiums. In fact, once your insurer finds out about your conviction, your rates will drastically increase—if you are not denied coverage altogether.

Fortunately, just because you have been charged with a second offense does not mean you will be found guilty. In fact, there are many ways to fight the charges against you—whether it’s challenging your BAC test results or pointing out errors in the officer’s police report. The right DWI attorney can point out such errors, and use his or her knowledge to poke holes in the state’s case against you.

Attorney Amando Pena has the experience and legal know-how to represent you. Mr. Pena is a member of the National DWI College and has been trained by the National Highway Safety Administration to administer field sobriety test—making him well-versed in Texas DWI defense strategies.  

Don’t fight your Texas DWI second offense alone. Contact attorney Amando Pena today to put his wealth of experience to work for you. Call for your free consultation.