If the assault by automobile charge involves driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol, then the charge is much more serious. In an assault by automobile case that results in serious bodily injury from a driving while impaired (DWI) accident, the charge is a third-degree criminal offense.
In this case of a DWI accident resulting in serious injury to another person, the defendant faces five to 10 years in jail. If a third-degree assault by automobile charge is committed in a school zone, the charge is increased to a second-degree offense. A second-degree assault by automobile charge can involve 10 to 20 years of jail time. In any case involving assault by automobile, hiring a criminal defense lawyer will be a person’s best chance for defense.