In Oregon, driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance (including certain prescription medications) constitutes the crime of driving under the influence of intoxicants (DUII).
There are two main components to receiving a DUII conviction.
- The first is that you were operating a vehicle upon a road or premises open to the public (such as a parking lot).
- The State often tries to prove this by the testimony of an officer or another person who claims to have seen you driving the vehicle.
- Sometimes it is proved if a person admits to driving the vehicle.
- The second condition is that the State must show that you were under the influence of alcohol or another intoxicant.
- The State can try to prove this by obtaining a blood alcohol content reading from a breathalyzer test of .08 or greater.
- The State can also try to prove this by showing that a persons ability to drive was negatively impacted to a noticeable and perceptible degree even if the blood alcohol reading was not obtained or was below a .08.
- The State can also try to prove that a person was under the influence of another intoxicant by completing a Drug Recognition Exam and using lab tests to show a person was using an intoxicant other than alcohol.
The penalties for a DUII conviction can be very serious and significantly impact your life. You could lose your license, receive increased insurance premiums, be made to undergo alcohol or drug treatment, face severe fines, and face irreparable harm to your reputation that would be evidenced in background checks.
It is very important that you not face this situation alone and consult with an experienced Oregon DUII attorney as soon as possible. Stumptown Legal offers high quality representation to those facing DUII charges and lifelong irreparable reputation damage by Navigating the Judicial Forest in a creative and progressive manner.