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Missouri DWI Laws - Missouri DWI laws - Missouri DUI Law

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First Offense - Missouri DWI

A person commits the crime of driving under the influence if he operates a motor vehicle while in an intoxicated or drugged condition. A first offense DWI in Missouri is a class B misdemeanor. Missouri DWI Law R.S.Mo. §577.010

Legal Limit in Missouri DWI: .08% Blood Alcohol

The legal limit in Missouri of blood-alcohol content is below .08%. Missouri DWI Laws R.S.Mo. §577.012

Implied Consent Missouri DWI Law

Any person driving the roads of Missouri is deemed to have given their implied consent to be subjected to a chemical test or tests of the person's breath, blood, saliva or urine for the purpose of determining the alcohol or drug content of the person's blood pursuant to the following circumstances:

(1) If the person is arrested for any offense arising out of acts which the arresting officer had reasonable grounds to believe were committed while the person was driving a motor vehicle while in an intoxicated or drugged condition; or

(2) If the person is under the age of twenty-one, has been stopped by a law enforcement officer, and the law enforcement officer has reasonable grounds to believe that such person was driving a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of two-hundredths of one percent or more by weight; or

(3) If the person is under the age of twenty-one, has been stopped by a law enforcement officer, and the law enforcement officer has reasonable grounds to believe that such person has committed a violation of the traffic laws of the state, or any political subdivision of the state, and such officer has reasonable grounds to believe, after making such stop, that such person has a blood alcohol content of two-hundredths of one percent or greater;

(4) If the person is under the age of twenty-one, has been stopped at a sobriety checkpoint or roadblock and the law enforcement officer has reasonable grounds to believe that such person has a blood alcohol content of two-hundredths of one percent or greater;

(5) If the person, while operating a motor vehicle, has been involved in a motor vehicle collision which resulted in a fatality or a readily apparent serious physical injury as defined in section 565.002, RSMo, and has been arrested as evidenced by the issuance of a uniform traffic ticket for the violation of any state law or county or municipal ordinance with the exception of equipment violations contained in chapter 306, RSMo, or similar provisions contained in county or municipal ordinances; or

(6) If the person, while operating a motor vehicle, has been involved in a motor vehicle collision which resulted in a fatality. R.S.Mo. Missouri DWI §577.020

Persistent and prior offenders--enhanced Missouri DWI penalties--imprisonment requirements, exceptions--procedures--definitions.

577.023. 1. For purposes of this section, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(1) An "intoxication-related traffic offense" is driving while intoxicated, driving with excessive blood alcohol content, involuntary manslaughter pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection 1 of section 565.024, RSMo, assault in the second degree pursuant to subdivision (4) of subsection 1 of section 565.060, RSMo, assault of a law enforcement officer in the second degree pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection 1 of section 565.082, RSMo, or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in violation of state law or a county or municipal ordinance, where the judge in such case was an attorney and the defendant was represented by or waived the right to an attorney in writing;

(2) A "persistent offender" is one of the following:

(a) A person who has pleaded guilty to or has been found guilty of two or more intoxication-related traffic offenses, where such two or more offenses occurred within ten years of the occurrence of the intoxication-related traffic offense for which the person is charged;

(b) A person who has pleaded guilty to or has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter pursuant to subsection 1 of section 565.024, RSMo, assault in the second degree pursuant to subdivision (4) of subsection 1 of section 565.060, RSMo, assault of a law enforcement officer in the second degree pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection 1 of section 565.082, RSMo; and

(3) A "prior offender" is a person who has pleaded guilty to or has been found guilty of one intoxication-related traffic offense, where such prior offense occurred within five years of the occurrence of the intoxication-related traffic offense for which the person is charged.

2. Any person who pleads guilty to or is found guilty of a violation of section 577.010 or 577.012 who is alleged and proved to be a prior offender shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.

3. Any person who pleads guilty to or is found guilty of a violation of section 577.010 or 577.012 who is alleged and proved to be a persistent offender shall be guilty of a class D felony.

4. No court shall suspend the imposition of sentence as to a prior or persistent offender under this section nor sentence such person to pay a fine in lieu of a term of imprisonment, section 557.011, RSMo, to the contrary notwithstanding. No prior offender shall be eligible for parole or probation until he has served a minimum of five days imprisonment, unless as a condition of such parole or probation such person performs at least thirty days of community service under the supervision of the court in those jurisdictions which have a recognized program for community service. No persistent offender shall be eligible for parole or probation until he or she has served a minimum of ten days imprisonment, unless as a condition of such parole or probation such person performs at least sixty days of community service under the supervision of the court.

5. The court shall find the defendant to be a prior offender or persistent offender, if:

(1) The indictment or information, original or amended, or the information in lieu of an indictment pleads all essential facts warranting a finding that the defendant is a prior offender or persistent offender; and

(2) Evidence is introduced that establishes sufficient facts pleaded to warrant a finding beyond a reasonable doubt the defendant is a prior offender or persistent offender; and

(3) The court makes findings of fact that warrant a finding beyond a reasonable doubt by the court that the defendant is a prior offender or persistent offender.

6. In a jury trial, the facts shall be pleaded, established and found prior to submission to the jury outside of its hearing.

7. In a trial without a jury or upon a plea of guilty, the court may defer the proof in findings of such facts to a later time, but prior to sentencing.

8. The defendant shall be accorded full rights of confrontation and cross-examination, with the opportunity to present evidence, at such hearings.

9. The defendant may waive proof of the facts alleged.

10. Nothing in this section shall prevent the use of presentence investigations or commitments.

11. At the sentencing hearing both the state and the defendant shall be permitted to present additional information bearing on the issue of sentence.

12. The pleas or findings of guilty shall be prior to the date of commission of the present offense.

13. The court shall not instruct the jury as to the range of punishment or allow the jury, upon a finding of guilty, to assess and declare the punishment as part of its verdict in cases of prior offenders or persistent offenders.

14. Evidence of prior convictions shall be heard and determined by the trial court out of the hearing of the jury prior to the submission of the case to the jury, and shall include but not be limited to evidence of convictions received by a search of the records of the Missouri uniform law enforcement system maintained by the Missouri state highway patrol. After hearing the evidence, the court shall enter its findings thereon. A conviction of a violation of a municipal or county ordinance in a county or municipal court for driving while intoxicated or a conviction or a plea of guilty or a finding of guilty followed by a suspended imposition of sentence, suspended execution of sentence, probation or parole or any combination thereof in a state court shall be treated as a prior conviction. Missouri DWI Laws R.S.Mo. §577.023

Refusal to Submit to Testing under Missouri DWI Law

The refusal to submit to testing such as a breathalyzer will result in the automatic suspension of the suspect's driver's license for 1 year. Missouri DWI Implied Consent Law R.S.Mo. §577.041

Substance Abuse Traffic Offender Program (SATOP) - Missouri DWI laws

Substance abuse traffic offender program, court may order participation in, when--professional assessment--supplemental fees, deposition--failure to remit, penalty.

577.049. 1. Upon a plea of guilty or a finding of guilty for an offense of violating the provisions of section 577.010 or 577.012 or violations of county or municipal ordinances involving alcohol- or drug- related traffic offenses, the court shall order the person to participate in and successfully complete a substance abuse traffic offender program defined in section 577.001.

2. The fees for the substance abuse traffic offender program, or a portion thereof, to be determined by the division of alcohol and drug abuse of the department of mental health, shall be paid by the person enrolling in the program. Any person who is enrolled in the program shall pay, in addition to any fee charged for the program, a supplemental fee to be determined by the department of mental health for the purposes of funding the substance abuse traffic offender program defined in section 302.010, RSMo, and section 577.001. The administrator of the program shall remit to the division of alcohol and drug abuse of the department of mental health on or before the fifteenth day of each month the supplemental fees for all persons enrolled in the program, less two percent for administrative costs. Interest shall be charged on any unpaid balance of the supplemental fees due the division of alcohol and drug abuse pursuant to this section and shall accrue at a rate not to exceed the annual rates established pursuant to the provisions of section 32.065, RSMo, plus three percentage points. The supplemental fees and any interest received by the department of mental health pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the mental health earnings fund which is created in section 630.053, RSMo.

3. Any administrator who fails to remit to the division of alcohol and drug abuse of the department of mental health the supplemental fees and interest for all persons enrolled in the program pursuant to this section shall be subject to a penalty equal to the amount of interest accrued on the supplemental fees due the division pursuant to this section. If the supplemental fees, interest, and penalties are not remitted to the division of alcohol and drug abuse of the department of mental health within six months of the due date, the attorney general of the state of Missouri shall initiate appropriate action of the collection of said fees and interest accrued. The court shall assess attorney fees and court costs against any delinquent program. Missouri DWI Law R.S.Mo. §577.049