Make no mistake about it — being arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) is pretty serious. Things can get much worse, however, if your charges get elevated to a felony. To find out more about something that might make that happen, read on.

Enhanced DUI Charges

Several issues can cause your DUI to be known as enhanced. For example, if your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is above a certain level, it might garner an enhancement. This type of thing can as much as double your financial outlays and may even land you in jail. Some other common penalties to watch out for include the following:

• Court fees, fines, etc.
• Classes
• Probation
• Random testing for substances
• Court-ordered counseling

Child Endangerment Enhancements

If you happened to have had a minor in the vehicle with you at the time of your DUI arrest, that can constitute a major enhancement. The law takes a dim view of those who drive while intoxicated with a child on board. Unfortunately, this situation might call for not just an enhanced DUI charge but a separate charge of child endangerment. Child endangerment might be a misdemeanor in most cases, but it can also be a felony charge if the circumstances warrant.

Child Welfare Gets Involved

You may also face an investigation by your state child welfare agency if you are charged with child endangerment. They have the power to remove the child from your home if they deem the situation dangerous to your child. It can be challenging to battle this heart-wrenching scenario while battling your DUI and other charges at the same time. Worse yet, if you are involved in a child custody disagreement, you may lose custody of your child.

Getting Help With Your Case

Being arrested and charged with a crime is not the same as being convicted. If you can avoid a conviction of the DUI charge, the child endangerment charges might be dropped. You will need the help of a lawyer to fight those charges. The state will be depending on evidence gathered at the scene of the arrest. That evidence includes camera footage (dashcam, bodycam), the results of the breathalyzer test, and the results of the field sobriety exercises. With the help of a DUI lawyer, you can challenge these results and be found innocent or have your charges dropped. Speak to a defense lawyer about your case today. There's too much riding on the consequences to go it alone.

To learn more, contact a DUI lawyer.