In most cases, a drunk driving charge is considered a misdemeanor in the State of Washington. However, in certain circumstances, you may be charged with a felony DUI. Someone convicted of a felony DUI faces much more serious penalties and you will want to work with a King County DUI attorney if you face such a charge.

Situations Where You May Be Charged With a Felony DUI

The circumstances where you may be charged with a felony DUI generally include:

• Repeat DUI Offender. If you have four or more prior DUI convictions, you could be charged with a felony DUI. Keep in mind that not all of your DUI convictions may be considered as prosecutors are limited to looking back to only the last ten years. Also, DUI arrests without a conviction will not be considered.
• Vehicular Assault. Someone previously convicted of vehicular assault while driving under the influence or vehicular manslaughter while driving under the influence can also face a felony DUI charge for a subsequent DUI arrest. So if you have a vehicular assault DUI on your record, your next DUI arrest could lead to felony charges.

Felony DUI Penalties

If you are convicted of a felony DUI, you could face a Class C felony charge and up to five years in prison. In addition, you could face the standard penalties for a DUI including monetary fines, ignition interlock requirement, and a driver's license suspension.

To learn more about the specific penalties you face, you will want to talk to an attorney. Contact a King County DUI defense attorney at Cowan Kirk Gaston Wolff by calling 1-866-822-1230 to discuss the specifics of your case.