In Denver, CO, offenses related to driving under the influence of alcohol are dependent on measurement of the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in the body.
Blood alcohol concentration is the quantity of alcohol found in the blood of a person after drinking. The BAC legal limit applicable for drivers aged 21 years and above is 0.08 percent. For drivers under the age of 21 years, it is 0.02 percent.
Penalties
For first DUI offense, administratively, driver’s license can be revoked for a period of nine months. Court fines fall within the range of $600 – $1,000. Jail time ranges from 2 days up to one year, and community service from 24 to 96 hours. Jail and fines may be suspended with the agreement to undergo an alcohol evaluation and recommended treatment and supervision by probation. In some cases there will be monitored sobriety.
For multiple alcohol driving offenders, the penalties are mandatory and severe. Including mandatory jail, mandatory probation supervision for two years and mandatory suspended sentences of an additional year.
For the last few years, the Colorado legislature has attempted to come up with a felony driving under the influence law which looks at the number of prior offenses to determine if felony charges are warranted. In the next few years there will be a strong push for the felony DUI. Currently there is no felony driving under the influence law.