According to reports Kris Honkala was driving through Essex, Massachusetts when he hit a wooden planter. A cell phone caller was following him and reported his observations to the police. Honkala, a Newburyport resident continued driving into Ipswich, Massachusetts where he was met and arrested by Ipswich police. Honkala was charged with second offense OUI, a marked lanes violation and leaving the scene of an accident. This case will be prosecuted in the Newburyport District Court.
Second Offense OUI Charged Against Massachusetts Man Who Hit Planter With His Car
If convicted here is what Honkala is looking at: Second offense DUI convictions in Massachusetts have a mandatory thirty day house of correction sentence and you can be sentenced for up to two and one half years. There is a two year loss of license with the possibility of obtaining a hardship license after one year. Fines can range from six hundred dollars to ten thousand dollars and there will be additional court fines and fees. There can be an increased sentence for having left the scene of property damage.
What the article does not mention is the observations of the police officers once they stopped Honkala. There is no mention of anything corroborating their opinion of impairment. There is no mention of Honkala having taken and failed either field sobriety tests, a breathalyzer test or both. This information is critical to both the prosecution and defense of OUI cases. The age of the prior conviction is also important relative to sentencing options should Honkala decide to plead guilty to these charges.
Stephen Neyman has been defending OUI cases in Massachusetts for over twenty years. Our office handles all aspects of drunk driving cases. We are prepared to try your case, move to suppress illegally obtained evidence and negotiate a resolution of your case depending on what the circumstances of the allegations dictate. To discuss your Massachusetts OUI case call us at 617-263-6800 or contact us online.
Si usted habla español contacta a nuestro asistente de abogado Maria Rivera en 617-877-6270.