Pennsylvania DUI qwk question

[gynadia]

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

Hello there and thank you for taking the time to read my question.


My sister was out drinking one night and on her way home crashed her car, injuring herself very bad. We are all thankful that she is still alive and on her way to recovery. The cops on the scene took her blood alcohol and she is being charged with DUI GENERAL IMPAIRMENT (1st off) CARELESS DRIVING (1st) and DUI HIGH RATE OF ALCHOLO (1st).

Question is, she moved out of state, back with her boyfriend, after the accident.

What exactely happens for her now, since she is no longer in the state?


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

 

[Taper420]

She comes back and faces the music when asked to.

 

[FlyingRon]

There will be a preliminary hearing and arraignment (a lawyer can appear and waive this) and then a trial in common pleas court. It's possible she can get ARD (a period of probation where if she complies it results in her not having any lasting criminal charges on her record). PA is pretty good about out of state residents doing their probation. There's usually a hard license suspension with this sort of thing, but if she gets the ARD, while her PA privs will be suspended if she has an out of state license the suspension would be over by the time PA gets their paperwork in order to tell her new state that her license ought to be suspended there as well.

I'd recommend a lawyer. While it's possible to get ARD pro se, it's harder if you're not physically present so if she wants to minimize the time she spends in Pennsylvania, a lawyer would be advised. This is such a common thing for lawyers that most can quote you a fixed price for bringing it up to the common pleas level.

Expect it to cost her money. It will be a thousand or two to the state and about that much to an attorney. DUI is not cheap.

 

[gynadia]

many many thanks for your replies.