Drinking can be an enjoyable and relaxing experience for some, particularly after a hard day at work. However, when not used in moderation, a person can easily become inebriated. The decision to drive while under the influence of alcohol can result in some legal consequences, but choosing to engage in drunk driving more than once can that have potentially longer-term and more serious impacts. This is the scenario that one man is facing in Tennessee.

Police recently arrested a man who was driving while drunk; they said this was his third DUI offense. The arrest was made after someone complained that a car was swerving. The man who was arrested and charged with a DUI was a 59-year-old man.

The man was found to have a strong smell of alcohol on his breath, police said. Authorities said he also had watery, red eyes and slurred speech. He also failed sobriety tests. The man also faces drug charges associated with possession of paraphernalia.

A DUI charge, particularly when it is not a person’s first, is serious because it can be classified as a felony DUI instead of a misdemeanor. As a result, a person who is charged and convicted of a third DUI may face several years in jail, depending on the facts of the case and the judge’s ultimate decision. Before a person who faces drunk driving charges can be convicted, prosecutors must prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. A person who faces these charges is entitled to the same legal protections that cover all individuals who are accused of committing a crime in Tennessee.

Source: herald-citizen.com, Man charged with third DUI, Brittany Stovall, Nov. 7, 2013