TV3 - Home - Headlines

DUI Law Expands in Virginia

Updated: Tue 4:23 AM, Jul 17, 2012

Next time you've had a drink and you think it's okay to drive, think again.

It could land you a court date, and a nice little device, known as Ignition Interlock, put into your car, even if it's your first DUI.

You have to breathe into the device before starting your car.

Snook is a lawyer at Snook & Haughey in Charlottesville, he says if you are ordered to put an Ignition Interlock in your car, every car you own will need to have one.

"So, if I own three cars in my name, and I get a DUI, I'm going to have to put two of those cars in my wife's name, or else I'm going to have three ignition interlocks, and my wife's not going to drive anything."

That's because it's illegal for anyone other than the offender to drive a car with the device.

Snook says in this area, the new provisions will be tough to meet because their aren't many people who make interlock devices.

"If you need to get an interlock device put on your car, it may be three weeks before you can get an appointment.. What do you do in the mean time?" He said.

"Basically do not drink and drive." Said Sargent Frank Myrtle, of Winchester Police.

Jason Spiegel, of Stephens City, allegedly did just that, and has been arrested and charged for a DUI hit and run.

He was driving on the 2100 block of Harvest Drive in Winchester Sunday night, when he allegedly hit a parked Toyota with his SUV.

"In the last year there has been approximately 275 DUI arrests in the city of Winchester." Said Myrtle.

He says police were able to track Spiegel down because witnesses wrote down his license plate and car description.

Myrtle says the damage done to the victim's Toyota was about $10,000.

The cost of getting Ignition Interlock, is $500.

But Snook says making people install interlock devices, will only lead to problems in different places.

"By imposing all of these additional costs on people, they simply may get more people who drive without valid licenses." Said Snook.


Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.
powered by Disqus
Live Stream
E News
Traffic
Twitter
Facebook
Mobile
User Photos

TV3 Special Sections

Making Mom's Life Easier.
Community Generated Images and Video
In Your Community
Winchester, Frederick, Clarke
Call us, We care.
633 Millwood Ave. Winchester, VA 22601 Main Phone Line – (540) 504-0883 Press 1 for the News Department
Gray Television, Inc. - Copyright © 2002-2013 - Designed by Gray Digital Media - Powered by Clickability
User Agent: CCBot/2.0 - 162651486