YUBA COUNTY DUI LAWYER – MICHAEL REHM
MARYSVILLE CA CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY
FREE CONSULTATIONS – (530) 410-6474
As the most biodiverse county in the nation, Yuba County benefits from pristine nature and low population density. Despite the county's welcome absence of traffic jams, four state highways and 650 miles of county roads are patrolled by the Yuba County Sheriff and California Highway Patrol, while Marysville and Wheatland police officers also maintain a vigilant watch for impaired drivers.
In a typical year, law enforcement officers make 400 to 500 arrests for driving under the influence (DUI) in Yuba County. Given the county's relatively small population, Yuba County's arrest rate of licensed drivers is nearly twice the statewide average.
DUI Charges in Yuba County
Nearly all DUI charges in Yuba County are misdemeanors. While prosecutors have discretion to charge a felony when a driver has three prior DUI convictions within the past ten years, felony charges are rare in Yuba County.
Felonies are most often charged when an impaired driver causes serious injuries in a traffic accident. Only 2.6% of Yuba County DUI cases involve felony charges. Another 0.5% of charges are brought against juveniles.
Depending on the year, between 6% and 12% of Yuba County DUI cases involve charges of driving under the influence of drugs. Since those cases are more difficult for prosecutors to prove, they take longer to resolve. An average alcohol-related Yuba County DUI charge is resolved in about four months, while drug-related DUI charges take about twice as long to resolve, which can generally be attributed to the routine delays in obtaining the blood test results.
DUI Convictions in Yuba County
Only 70% of DUI charges in Yuba County end with a DUI conviction. That is a smaller percentage than the statewide average.
What happens to the other cases? About 8.4% are plea bargained to a “wet reckless.” That form of reckless driving exposes the driver to lesser penalties than a DUI. The risk of losing driving privileges is much less significant when the driver is convicted of a wet reckless.
Another 1.4% of charges are reduced to “dry reckless” or some other traffic charge. These reductions can help in maintaining your driver's license, but you still must win the DMV hearing in order to fully keep your license.
The remaining charges — a whopping 20% of Yuba County DUI charges — result in no conviction at all. The charges are either dismissed or a jury finds the driver not guilty.
Dismissals can occur because the police made a mistake. They might not have had a legitimate reason to make a traffic stop. They might have made an unlawful arrest. They might not have followed correct procedures when taking a breath test.
Police errors account for a large percentage of driver victories in DUI cases. Yuba County DUI Attorney Michael Rehm can help determine whether police errors can help you avoid a conviction.
DUI Penalties in Yuba County
Most drivers convicted of a first offense DUI in Yuba County receive probation. About 57% also receive a jail term, however those statistics can be misleading. Normally, in my experience, no actual custody time is required on a first offense DUI, the “jail” can be served via community service or ankle monitoring.
For more information on how Marysville CA Criminal Defense Lawyer Michael Rehm can help, call (530) 410-6474 for a free, confidential consultation.
MARYSVILLE DUI ATTORNEY – MICHAEL REHM
FREE CONSULTATIONS – (530) 410-6474
Yuba County DUI Resources:
Yuba County DUI School: There is no licensed DUI school currently in Yuba County. The closest school is in Sutter County, located at 430 Teegarden Avenue Yuba City, CA 95991, with a phone number of (530) 674-4530.