A couple in Lenoir County was surprised Thursday evening when a teenager drove his vehicle right through their living room. Luckily, no one was home at the time of the acci
dent, but when the couple returned home, they were surprised and devastated to say the least.
The amount of damage to the property was over $3,000; yet the good news is that no one was injured in the accident.
The teenager is currently being charged with not only a DWI, but also reckless driving. According to the police reports, the teenager was driving the vehicle while intoxicated and lost his bearings, veering off the side of the road. At first he hit a tree, which spun his car around in a circle, and when the teen try to drive away, he drove right into the couple’s home.
The teen had another occupant in the vehicle at the time, around the same age. Neither the driver nor the passenger were harmed in the accident, but the teenager is facing some serious charges, that will be on his record the rest of his life.
Driving while impaired and being underage is a serious issue in South Carolina. If the police find that there is any alcohol in the teen’s system at the time, whether it is above the legal limit of .08 or not, they will still be charged with a DWI.
Teenagers are not only inexperienced drivers, but they are also inexperienced drinkers, which places them in a “high risk zone” of accidents due to alcohol. The combination of the inexperience adds to the amount of accidents that teenagers are involved in. However, no matter the age, everyone deserves a just defense, and an attorney that understands the situation and the laws connected to it.
The teen in the aforementioned article is going to suffer serious consequences, not only because he rammed the vehicle into someone’s living room, but moreover because he was drinking and driving, under the age of consumption.
The real question is then, what does the North Carolina Law say about persons who are caught drinking and driving while under the age of 21. The penalty is actually quite serious.
Accordingly, if you are under the age of 21, and you are convicted of driving after the consumption of drugs or alcohol, the following punishments shall apply:
First of all, your driver’s license will be revoked for an entire year. You will only be permitted to obtain a limited driving privilege, or LDP,( that lets you drive to and from work) if you are 18, 19, or 20, anything below that will not allow you to get a LDP. Additionally, the fee for the LDP will cost the defendant a $100 fee.
Secondly, your punishment will be considered a Class 2 misdemeanor, and may affect future employment and insurance rates at a later date. Some insurers will increase the premium by 400%
Next, you will be required to do a mandatory sentence of community service, and pay a &250 fee or serve jail time.
Lastly, Your court cost will be $190. Your fine could be anywhere near $1,000. Your attorney’s fees could be anywhere from $1,000-$5000. Thus, if you are caught drinking underage, not only will your record be marked, but it may also cost a pretty penny; anywhere from $2,500-$7,000.
