It has been reported that records at both the University of Minnesota Police Department and Minneapolis Police Department show that DUI charges around the campus have significantly reduced since the year 2003.

Minnesota Daily reports that 33 people have been arrested with driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) in neighborhoods that surround the campus since the start of this year. Averaging at 6 DWI charges each month, the number of arrests is surprisingly low compared to the DWI arrests in the past two years which averaged at about 8 DWI monthly arrests, according to University Police Deputy Chief Chuck Miner.

Records reveal that the highest number of DWI arrests in areas surrounding Minnesota campus was in the year 2003 when 220 drunk driving offenders were arrested as reported by University police.  The DWI arrests have significantly decreased each year since then.

According to Miner, most DWI offenders are individuals just passing through the Minnesota campus area and are not actually students from the campus. He also summarized that students are more likely to be charged with public alcohol consumption, since many are not driving , but rather walking to houses.

Sgt. Steve McCarthy of the Minneapolis Police Department believes that one likely reason there are fewer recently reported DWI or DUI arrests is that the Minneapolis police officers don’t patrol the area as much as the University police.

DWI charges are generally the result of drivers showing erratic driving behavior and subsequently being pulled over, says Miner. Although DWI offenders are not likely to get maximum sentence, a driver charged with DWI the first time may be sentenced with imprisonment of a maximum of 90 days and a fine of $1,000 for offense of misdemeanor if the offender complied with a BAC test and no other offenses were charged.   An offender charged with DWI four times within a period of 10 years can be charged with a Felony or First Degree DWI and may face a fine of $14,000 and imprisonment of up to 7 years.

If you have been charged for DWI in the Twin Cities Minnesota, contacting a Minnesota Criminal Lawyer is your best option. Douglas T. Kans, an experienced Minneapolis DWI Attorney will provide you with comprehensive legal services that you need in order to ensure the best possible resolution of your DWI case. Feel free to contact Kans Law Firm at (888) 972-6060 for a free case review.