Some DUI laws in the United States are somewhat similar, but the state of Wyoming’s DUI laws are known as the toughest laws in the entire country. Wyoming has anti-plea bargain laws that disallow any reduction or dismissal of filed DUI charges without doing so in a court of law due to lack of evidence.
In Wyoming driving under the influence charges are brought by the violation of the per se law as set by Wyoming or the violation of the state under the influence law. Wyoming’s per se law states that driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or more is a criminal offense. First time DUI offenses are usually not as severe as multiple offenses and have lesser punishments.
The state of Wyoming defines driving under the influence as physically driving a vehicle while under the impairment of alcohol or a combination of drugs and alcohol together. Alcohol impairs judgment and slows reaction time, which will increase the risk of accidents to the driver, other passengers, and others on the road. Different forms of sobriety tests will be administered by a police officer. Chemical tests may follow, if necessary for documentation.
Blood Alcohol Content Levels
Wyoming has different percentages for how high a blood alcohol content can be. The United States government states that no blood alcohol can be above 0.08 percent, but each state may set other percentages. Any driver in the state of Wyoming with a blood alcohol content over 0.08 percent will be charges with driving under the influence. Commercial drivers are given a lower percentage of 0.04 percent for charges to follow. Minor drivers are given the lowest level and can be charged with driving under the influence if over the 0.02 percent level.
Prior DUI Offenses
All Wyoming DUI cases are weighed upon prior offenses. All cases where there have been previous DUI arrests and charges will subsequently cause harsher punishments upon conviction. Similar offenses also can be counted as priors.
If a pending offense has yet to be convicted or dismissed and a new charge is made, the previous charge will act as a prior, despite pending conviction. Wyoming has a law that erases prior DUI offenses after five years. This means that after five years a previous conviction cannot increase the punishment of a current offense. These laws are called look-back laws or washout laws.
Wyoming DUI Punishments
Each state has similar punishments for DUI offenses. The punishments for a driving under the influence offense vary depending on the number of previous offenses. Upon an arrest a police officer may retain an individual’s driver’s license. First-time offenders will often receive a fine along with restrictions to their driver’s licenses and necessary alcohol and drug education program attendance.
Community service or jail time can also be given, depending on the circumstances of the incident. A second offense is treated the same as multiple offenses in Wyoming. Multiple DUI offenders often receive jail time and mandatory alcohol and drug education programs that are heavily increased from first-time offenders. Multiple offenses can also be punished by a car impounding, mandatory AA meeting attendance, or the installation of a mandatory ignition interlock device.