Upstate New York school principal arrested on DWI charges

When Upstate New Yorkers are arrested for driving while intoxicated, the first thing that will come to mind is the potential consequences they will face if there is a conviction. The legal problems can be significant and result in lost driving privileges, jail time, fines and more. However, a too-often forgotten aspect of DWI charges is how it can negatively impact their personal and professional life. With many jobs and attempted endeavors, a conviction for DWI can hinder the person’s ability to be hired, accepted to a school and more. Considering the arrest in that context, it becomes even more important to take every possible step to achieve a favorable result in the case.

An elementary school principle was arrested for DWI. The female driver, 40, was seen by law enforcement shortly before midnight driving her vehicle without its lights on. The vehicle was heading north and drifted into a different lane on the road. The officers stopped the vehicle and investigated. The woman was given a field sobriety test and failed.

She was given a breath test to determine her blood-alcohol content and it registered 0.13 percent. That is above the legal limit of 0.08 percent. She was arrested. Her employer refused comment on the incident saying it needed to be investigated further. She is being placed on leave and receiving her pay while the case is examined. Another educator – an assistant school principal – had been arrested twice for DWI within four months four years ago. He was subsequently fired from his job the next year.

New York State takes alleged drunk drivers seriously and the penalties they will need to deal with should there be a conviction can be problematic in multiple ways. The jail time, fines and driver license suspension or revocation is difficult enough. When the penalties extend to a problem with a job, it is even more vital to have legal advice to avoid the harshest penalties with a negotiation or perhaps get an acquittal. Those who are confronted with drunk driving charges must think about their personal and professional future and have legal assistance to craft a defense.