The Law Offices of Matt Horak
For many teenagers and people below the legal drinking age, consuming alcohol is not a big deal. In fact, for many young people it is regarded as a right of passage, not a criminal offense. However, in Texas, the legal drinking age is 21, which means people below 21 cannot legally consume alcohol. Despite the fact that young individuals may think that drinking is tolerable, the fact is that underage drinking is a crime that is associated with devastating legal penalties. This is especially true if an underage individual chooses to drink and then drive.
When law enforcement suspect that a person is driving while impaired, they will make a traffic stop to see if the individual is in fact under the influence. If police discover that the driver is below the legal age of 21, they will administer a breath alcohol test and if the driver has any trace of alcohol in his/her blood stream, he/she will automatically be charged with underage DWI. Once this happens, the young person’s world will be turned upside down as he/she will not only have to fight to avoid criminal conviction, but also have to fight to keep his/her driving privileges.
Being charged with underage DWI is very frightening as young people are on the verge of starting their adult lives and are not ready to face the judicial system or the consequences of their actions. In order for young people to stand a chance of avoiding life-changing penalties, they must give serious thought to hiring an experienced DWI defense lawyer, such as Attorney Matt Horak. By working with a Houston underage DWI attorney, like Matt Horak, offenders have a better chance of receiving reduced charges or evading conviction altogether.