Colorado law treats all Habitual Traffic Offenders in a harsh way, administering them serious penalties for their offences. If you are designated as HTO or habitual traffic offender in Colorado, you will fall under the section of 42-2-206 of Colorado Revised Statutes. Such a designation might occur for you if you get convicted of at least three serious traffic offenses in a period of 7 years. You will then have your driving license revoked for at least 5 years. In case you have been convicted already of being a Habitual Traffic Offender, it is very important that you get in touch with a DUI Defense Attorney Denver who can offer you efficient legal solutions for your specific case. A DUI legal expert in Denver, Colorado has got the necessary skill and experience in dealing with such cases and can provide you with the right kind of legal support that you need.
Things to know about HTO charges in Colorado
If you have been already convicted as HTO or habitual traffic offender and you are still found driving a motor vehicle even though you are under revocation, Colorado law will regard your case as one of Class 1 misdemeanor. In any case, you must know your rights and limitations if you are involved in a case like this. Some of the most important traffic offences that can get you a habitual traffic offender status are listed below.
- Driving Under the Influence or DUI
- DUI per se
- Driving While Ability Impaired or DWAI
- DUI – Drugs
- Reckless driving
- Driving under suspension
- Aggravated motor vehicle thefts
- Vehicular assault
- Driving under revocation
- Vehicular manslaughter
- Criminally negligent homicide
- Vehicular homicide
- Presenting with false information to the DMV
- Hit and run cases that involve injury or death
- Additionally, you will also be regarded as habitual traffic offender under the following circumstances:
- A minimum of 10 or more HTO convictions within a period of 5 years including moving violations that lead to DMV point assessment in Colorado of 4 and/or more points for every offence; or
- At least 18 or more HTO convictions in a period of 5 years including moving violations that leads to assessment of 3 or fewer points for each offence.
Penalties for Habitual Traffic Offenders in Colorado
If you are habitual traffic offender in Colorado, you can expect a lot of harsh penalties that can make life a lot difficult for you. Once convicted, the sentence can lead to huge monetary fines, mandatory jail time as well as revocation of your license as well as its automatic extension.
For instance, you may receive a jail sentence in Colorado that can last anywhere from 30 days to 18 months along with a fine up to $5,000. However, if you commit to perform public service anywhere from 40 hours to 300 hours, then the judge can decide to suspend your jail sentence and monetary fines. You may be charged with a case of aggravated driving as habitual offender if you commit an additional serious traffic offense from same incident like Driving Under the Influence or reckless driving. Such an act will be regarded as class 1 misdemeanor and will involve mandatory jail sentence for a period of minimum 60 days to maximum 18 months.
Fight your Habitual Traffic Offender case with a reputed defense attorney
There is no point contesting your case alone when you have been charged with a HTO case in Colorado. Make sure that you consult a DUI defense attorney Lakewood who can offer you reliable legal expertise and reduce your jail sentence and monetary fines.