R.I. A.G. looks to crack down on DUI punishments

December 28, 2015 4:41 pm

By: Rebecca Turco

Email: rturco@abc6.com

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Rhode Island’s Attorney General is looking to crack down on DUI punishments, as state police are out in droves during this busy holiday season.

"If you relax the laws, if you relax the penalties, that doesn’t dispose people to better behavior,” explained Assistant Attorney General John Corrigan. “Stiffening the penalties has the converse effect.”

The Attorney General’s Office is re-introducing bills to extend the length of time DUIs remain on a driver’s record and heighten the penalties for DUIs resulting in death or injury. As it stands, there are no laws directly addressing injuries as a result of DUIs.

"This responds to a very deep need on the part of victims and their families and society as a whole,” said Corrigan.

Under the legislation, a conviction under DUI death resulting would increase from a maximum imprisonment of 15 years to a maximum imprisonment of 30 years, a maximum fine of $200,000 and license revocation for up to ten years. A conviction of DUI resulting in serious bodily injury would increase from a maximum penalty of 10 years to a maximum imprisonment of 20 years, a fine up to $10,000 and license revocation for up to five years.

Another piece of legislation would create the criminal offense of driving under the influence resulting in injury, addressing the situation where injury results from driving under the influence but doesn’t meet the standard of serious bodily injury. Those in violation would be guilty of a felony and subject to imprisonment for up to three years, as well as a license suspension for less than a year.

A third piece of legislation would increase the length of time DUIs remain on a driver’s record. Currently, it is five years on third and subsequent alcohol-related offenses. The legislation would double that, to ten years.

Next week’s start of the legislative session will mark the sixth year the Attorney General’s office has tried getting some form of these bills passed. Last year, only one passed in the Senate, but failed to make it past the House Judiciary Committee. The rest were held for further study.

"We’re not going to get instantaneous results all the time for certain measures, but it’s something that we need to continue to be a voice for,” explained Eric Creamer, executive director of the Rhode Island chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

The hold-up for these bills could be because the prior session ended quickly, according to some legislators. Whatever the reason, the bills’ supporters are not giving up.

"We want to convince the General Assembly of the wisdom of these bills,” said Corrigan.

Cream said it’s essential for the punishment to meet the crime. "This is one step in that direction,” he added.

ABC6 News reached out to the heads of the House and Senate for comment on these upcoming proposals. Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello sent a statement: “The Assembly has passed several bills in recent years, including a new law allowing judges to require ignition interlocks for those convicted of drunken driving. We will hold public hearings and give close scrutiny to further legislation on drunken driving in the new session beginning next week.”