By now, readers of our blog know that we understand that mistakes happen. We know that facing drunk driving charges is something that no driver ever wants to face. Sometimes, the horror of facing those charges becomes a reality. For a 2009 contestant on “Top Chef,” facing drunk driving charges could have been a lot worse.
The chef owns a restaurant in Baltimore. He was stopped on June 6 on South Howard Street. As a result of that traffic stop, he was charged with a DUI. He recently learned the outcome of his case after pleading guilty to that charge.
In exchange for his guilty plea, the man was ordered to attend a Mothers Against Drunk Driving victim-impact panel and to tour a trauma unit at a hospital. He was also sentenced to one year of probation.
This man’s sentence shows that the court doesn’t always just order the maximum sentence in DUI cases. According to the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration, a first-offense DUI carries a jail sentence of up to one year. This man, however, was only sentenced to serve one year of probation instead of being incarcerated.
While this doesn’t automatically mean that everyone in a similar situation should expect a similar outcome, it is important for anyone who has an open DUI charge to learn about the consequences he or she faces. They should also learn about the possible defense options and plea options they have available for their case. Knowing all of this information can help you to make an informed choice as you stand before the court.
Source: Daily Journal, “‘Top Chef’ runner-up pleads guilty to drunken driving in Maryland” Sep. 19, 2014