Tampa DUI Lawyer Blog
A 35-year-old New Port Richey, Florida woman was charged with DUI, driving with a suspended license and two counts of DUI property damage after rear-ending a school bus Thursday morning. Florida Highway Patrol reported she was also wanted for failure to appear in a theft case.
According to Tampa Bay Online, the accident happened at 9:22 a.m. when the bus was stopped at an intersection. The woman allegedly failed to stop and hit the rear of the bus.
The bus was carrying 25 students ages 9 to 12 and a 48-year-old bus driver. No one was injured.
The woman was being held at the Land O’Lakes jail with bail set at $1,513.
All DUI cases in Florida are considered criminal. Driving while your license is suspended for a Florida DUI is an additional criminal offense. Being convicted of this charge carries penalties of jail time and fines. Prior DWLS convictions can be a cause for enhanced consequences. A third conviction can become a felony under Florida law.
Most Florida DUI offenses are misdemeanors; however a DUI can become a felony if the DUI conviction is the third within the past 10 years, is the fourth or greater DUI conviction despite time frames or if the person charged with DUI causes serious bodily injury to another person.
If you have been charged with DUI in Florida, contact the Florida DUI Lawyers at the Law Offices of Whittel & Melton, LLC online or call 1-866-608-5LAW (5529).