What do you get when you cross an intoxicated Navy sailor, an ignition interlock device, and raccoon? Well, if you believe everything you read on the internet, you get a creative way to start a car and very angry furry passenger. Although highly entertaining, it turns out that the story, like so many others in recent years, was the result of an active imagination, subsequently overshared and under-verified.  Various news outlets have since confirmed the viral account as a hoax, albeit with no small measure of amusement.

All From a Single Image

The story began with a post on the picture-sharing site Imgur, which allegedly showed an incident report originating at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California. According to the report, a Navy petty officer left a bar and needed to start his personal vehicle which was equipped with a breath alcohol ignition interlock device (BAIID). Too drunk to meet the device’s requirements, he supposedly captured a raccoon rummaging in a trashcan nearby, and squeezed its body to provide the breath sample needed by the BAIID to start the car, leaving the animal unconscious. The man, the story continued, left the raccoon in the vehicle and began driving. A short time later, the animal regained consciousness and attacked the driver, causing an accident that ended up with the vehicle in an in-ground swimming pool.

Did you know that if you are charged with driving under the influence (DUI), your driving privileges will be suspended, regardless of the outcome of the case? For a first-time offender, your license is automatically suspended for six months if you fail a blood-alcohol content (BAC) test, and 12 months if you refuse such a test. In addition, the Illinois Office of the Secretary of State can revoke your license until the conclusion of your case and beyond, depending on the final disposition. During your suspension, however, there may be measures of relief available to you that allow you to continue legally driving to work or school, and to provide for your family.

The most commonly used avenue of relief in Illinois is the Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device (BAIID) Program. To qualify for the BAIID program, an offender is required to file an application with the Office of the Secretary of State to obtain a Monitoring Device Driving Permit, or MDDP. This permit allows a first-time DUI offender the opportunity to retain driving privileges during the statutory suspension of his or her license. Participation in the program is not mandatory, but declining the MDDP completely prohibits an offender from driving for the duration of his or her suspension.

With an MDDP, an offender may drive his or her vehicle after installation of a BAAID. Installation of such a device is handled through the Office of the Secretary of State and its use will be monitored by the office as well. The offender is responsible for all costs associated with the installation and operation of the device. Any offender found driving another vehicle without a BAIID is subject to criminal prosecution.

Although all DUI charges are taken seriously in Illinois, being charged with a second or further offense can lead to critical penalties for you. One of the most important steps you can take after being charged with a DUI is to contact an experienced drunk driving defense attorney to manage your case. An experienced lawyer will review your case to ensure that your rights are protected and will work hard to advocate for you in court.

Multiple convictions can stack up and change how your charge is classified as well as what type of penalties you will face. Here’s what you need to know about the minimum punishments for multiple DUI offenses in Illinois:

• A second conviction is categorized as a Class A misdemeanor with mandatory minimum prison time of five days (or 240 community service hours). Your vehicle registration will be suspended and your driving privileges can be revoked for five years
• A third conviction is a Class 2 felony, leading to your driving privileges being revoked for a minimum period of 10 years with your vehicle registration suspended.
• A fourth conviction is also classified as a Class 2 felony with driving privileges revoked for life with no relief.
• A fifth conviction is a Class 1 felony with lifetime revoked driving privileges and vehicle registration suspension
• A sixth conviction is a Class X felony with revoked driving privileges and suspended vehicle registration.

Depending on the conditions at your arrest, such as your blood alcohol level and whether you were transporting any minors, you could face even more serious ramifications. Getting charged with a DUI when you already have a conviction on your record is a critical matter and one that should lead you to hire a talented DUI attorney. If you have been charged with a second or beyond DUI offense, you need to contact an experienced Chicago criminal defense attorney today.