First DUI Charge Gets ARD

A woman in her 30s who works as an executive for a large Pittsburgh chemical company was charged with DUI and reckless driving after crashing her car. She was on her way home from a social function where she had been consuming alcohol. There also was bad weather and poor visibility. Her husband, who was not with her, called the police. The officer who responded noticed that she had been drinking and charged her with a first DUI, which is an ungraded misdemeanor.

The woman was worried that a DUI conviction would have a very negative effect on her employment. She called our Pittsburgh criminal defense attorneys for help. Attorney Mike Worgul represented her in the first DUI case in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.

The woman had no prior criminal history and wanted to keep her record clean when the first DUI case was over. Attorney Worgul saw that the woman was eligible for ARD. She also had a possible defense to the first DUI charge because police did not collect her blood within two hours as required by Pennsylvania law.

The prosecutor wanted the woman’s driver’s license to be suspended for 60 days. However, attorney Worgul was able to negotiate for a 30-day suspension. When she completes all terms of the ARD program, her record will be expunged.

Case results depend upon a variety of factors unique to each case. Case results do not guarantee or predict a similar result in any future case.