A man from Gastonia, North Carolina has been arrested after allegedly registering a 0.24 on the breath-test. Gaston County police were patrolling the neighborhood surrounding Franklin Boulevard when a vehicle was spotted making an abrupt turn. Thereafter, police observed the vehicle traveling at a decreased speed of 20 m.p.h. The speed limit on Franklin Boulevard is double that.
Police proceeded to initiate a traffic stop due to the suspicious behavior of the vehicle, where a man was found with what police allege to be the signature blood-shot eyes of a person who had made some bad decisions that evening. Further, the odor of alcohol was allegedly emanating from the vehicle. The man was then asked to step out of the vehicle where he registered a 0.24 on the breath-test, data that shows a BAC three times the legal limit.
When prosecuting a DWI in North Carolina, the District Attorney will bring forth aggravating factors which increase the sentencing related to such a charge. The defense attorney will attempt to bring to the table as many mitigating factors as possible to decrease the sentence. When someone, who has been suspected of driving while intoxicated, registers a high B.A.C reading, this always acts as an aggravating factor. In North Carolina, when an offender registers over a 0.15 on the blood test, they will automatically have an ignition interlock system installed on the ignition of the driver’s automobile.
