First DUI in NC! Help!

[vhinrich]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? NC

I had been driving constantly for about 11 hours when I crossed into NC from Tennessee. I had some drinks on the way but my last drink was couple hours before I got pulled over in Haywood County. I got caught for speeding (84 in 60). After I got pulled over, the officer asked me to blow into hand held breathalyzers. After I blew into it the second time, he put me under arrest for DWI. He took me to Haywood County Jail in Waynesville, NC. He gave me Breathalyzer test at the station and I blew .09. After that he made me do a field sobriety test in the station(?? is that part of the procedure?).

The magistrate set $0 bail for me and I got my license suspended for 30 days. I would have been able to go home that night if someone had picked me up. That didn't happen so I spent the night in jail until I was released at 8AM the next morning. I'm fairly young (age 22). I am not alcoholic or anything. It was just wrong choice at wrong time. I was very cooperative.

What are my options right now? I don't want to get my license suspended for a year because then I won't be able to go to school. I can't afford a very good attorney because I'm in college and I'm pretty broke. I talked with an attorney and he told me it would cost me $600 just for the case and if I wanted to go on trial, it would be $1000 additional. I never have seen that much money in my life. How can I get over this? If I get a public defendant, is he/she going to actually care and get me the lowest possible penalties? I live about 4 hours away from the court house so I can't afford to drive back and forth for every trial because I have school plus I would have to rent a car.

What is the best way to deal with this? What can I do to make the judge believe that I'm serious about this and it will never happen? If you were in the same situation in the past, please post your outcome. Thanks for any advise.

[Ohiogal]

Plead guilty. You were legally drunk with a per se limit greater than 0.08 (your 0.09). You need to face the consequences. A public defender COULD represent you but you will have to attend court.
And based on this:

had been driving constantly for about 11 hours when I crossed into NC from Tennessee. I had some drinks on the way but my last drink was couple hours before I got pulled over in Haywood County.

The people on the road with you for the couple hours before you got pulled over were damned lucky. YOU could have killed someone. Your last drink was a couple hours before you got pulled over and yet you had been driving constantly for 11 hours? You could have killed someone. You are not supposed to drink and drive.