A man was charged with driving drunk for a third time after witnesses saw his car get stuck on train tracks, then drive off on the wrong side of the road. Tests showed that Donald K. Seiffert, 40, had a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.30 or 0.29 shortly after he was pulled over on suspicion of OUI. A witness told police that Seiffert, an editor at The Enterprise of Brockton, drove onto train tracks in his home town of Braintree with a young child in the back. (Police later found that this was his six-year-old son.) As the witness watched, Seiffert shifted from drive to reverse for about five minutes before freeing the vehicle.
He proceeded down the wrong side of the road and was stopped by an officer, who said the car weaved into oncoming traffic several times before stopping. Seiffert claimed he had not been drinking, but didn’t know where he was. He looked in several places, including his mobile phone, when asked for his driver’s license, and produced an emissions test result when asked for his registration. The officer found a half-empty liter vodka bottle in the front seat. Seiffert has pleaded not guilty to charges of third-offense OUI, child endangerment and leaving a marked lane. The boy was released to his mother.
Read article: Police: Man arraigned for drunk driving with child in car
I hope this man gets help from a Massachusetts OUI criminal defense attorney as early as possible, because the charges he’s facing are very serious. A third drunk driving offense is a felony in Massachusetts, and it comes with a mandatory sentence of at least 150 days (five months) in jail, up to a maximum of five years in prison. Drivers convicted will also lose their licenses for eight years, with no hardship license available for four years. The fact that his son was in the car means Seiffert also faces a sentence enhancement for OUI with child endangerment. When a minor age 14 or younger was in the vehicle, drivers charged with OUI face an additional year of license suspension and a mandatory 90 days in jail. A conviction can also seriously damage the driver’s case in any child custody dispute. With so much at stake, drivers need the help of a Massachusetts intoxicated driving defense lawyer to minimize the negative effects on their families, jobs and lives.
If you’re charged with operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Massachusetts, you should talk to the Law Offices of Stephen Neyman right away. Based in downtown Boston, our office handles OUI charges, all related charges and RMV license suspension cases. To learn more at a consultation, please contact us through the Internet or call (617) 263-6800.