Being accused of DWI can leave a North Carolinian with a wide range of losses. DWI charges can sometimes lead to: loss of employment, a bad reputation, money issues (through fines) and loss of freedom (through a prison or probation sentence).
Such charges can also affect a person’s ability to drive. DWI allegations sometimes lead to a suspended license or revocation. There are also some circumstances under which being accused of DWI can cause a person to lose his or her vehicle.
Here, in North Carolina, if a person has a revoked license as a result of a prior impaired driving offense and is subsequently charged with another DWI, his or her vehicle can be seized at the time of arrest.
Depending on what happens next, this loss of vehicle may be permanent. If an individual who has had a vehicle seized under the above-mentioned mechanism is ultimately found guilty of having engaged in DWI while one’s license was revoked in relation to a past offense of impaired driving, his or her vehicle will be forfeited to a local school board. The school board can choose to either keep the vehicle or sell it.
As one can see from this, the potential consequences of DWI allegations can touch on many different areas of a person’s life and can vary depending on the particulars of a given case. Defense attorneys can inform a DWI defendant of what potential consequences he or she might face, investigate all aspects of the pending case and work to develop a strong defense strategy.
Source: North Carolina Department of Public Safety, “Felony DWI,” Accessed July 16, 2014
