The biggest difference between a DWI and a wet reckless charge is the penalties you face — both immediately and down the line.
DWI vs. Wet Reckless Charge
DWI
A conviction for driving while intoxicated (DWI) comes with serious consequences including:
- Jail time
- Fines
- License suspension
Depending on the circumstances of your case, a DWI lawyer may be able to get the prosecutor to plead down to a lesser charge.
Wet Reckless
There is no “wet reckless” charge in Texas. Instead, this refers to a plea bargain agreement that reduces an alcohol-related charge to a reckless driving charge with alcohol as an aggravating factor. This is one of the most common ways to avoid a DWI conviction in some states.
We can review the facts of your case and put a solid defense strategy in place. This may include attempting to get the prosecutors to agree to a lesser charge. By negotiating this type of plea agreement and pleading guilty to the lesser reckless driving offense, you may be able to avoid many of the most serious consequences of a drunk driving conviction.
Texas Drunk Driving Convictions and Penalties
Texas treats drunk driving as a serious offense, and a DWI conviction will bring serious consequences. While you will likely face an Administrative License Revocation (ALR) after your arrest either way, getting convicted will mean dealing with many other penalties. These penalties may include:
- Up to $10,000 in fines
- Months or years of jail or prison time
- Probation
- Mandatory attendance in an Alcohol Awareness Program approved by the state
Your DWI conviction and sentence could impact your everyday life in significant ways. You could lose your job or have to drop out of school if you cannot drive. And this is before we consider jail time, community service, or other time-consuming penalties. A reckless driving conviction, on the other hand, usually eliminates many of these issues.
Reckless Driving Penalties
The penalties for reckless driving are much less harsh than those for DWI. You will face a $200 fine and/or up to 30 days in jail. In addition to these lesser penalties, a reckless driving conviction will likely have a lesser effect on your career and education options in the future.
Other Options to Get a More Favorable Outcome in Your Texas DWI Case
While it may be possible to convince the prosecutor’s office to charge you with a lesser charge instead of DWI, this is not the only option we can pursue. Depending on the facts of your case, we may be able to clear your name by:
- Presenting evidence of your innocence; or
- Arguing the breath or blood testing was incorrectly administered; or
- Showing the police stopped you illegally
In other cases, we can work with the judge to negotiate a sentence that works for you. For example, we can sometimes convince the court to probate your jail time and other penalties. This means you will serve probation instead of going to jail, paying the steep fines, or facing other serious consequences. If you follow the terms of the probation for the set period, you will not have to face the sentence you would have received.
We may also be able to help you petition for an occupational license. This will allow you to drive to work or school. Depending on the type of occupational license for which you apply, you may need to install an ignition interlock device on your vehicle.
Talk to a Texas Drunk Driving Defense Attorney Today
If police recently arrested you for DWI or if you are currently facing Texas drunk driving charges, we can help you fight for a better outcome in your case. Let Eddington Worley take on your Texas DWI case, and we will go to work immediately to protect your rights and develop a strong defense strategy.
We may be able to negotiate your charges down to a wet reckless, fight the charges, or work to reduce your possible consequences in other ways. Call the Texas drunk driving defense team from Eddington Worley PC today at 855-600-6695 to learn more about our services or to get to work right away.
