Davis Law Group, P.S.

Man Receives Felony Conviction for 7th DUI Charge

A man from Richland was sentenced to more than four years in prison for his latest DUI conviction.

The 49-year-old man has been convicted seven times for driving under the influence. His latest charge was a felony because he had four prior DUIs within 10 years.

Karl David Givens was speeding and weaving into oncoming traffic. At the time of the arrest he had a BAC of 0.18 percent. Givens pleaded guilty to the charges.

Drunk Driving Accident Statistics

In Washington State, 54% of all fatal motor vehicle crashes involve a driver that was under the influence of alcohol. In 2009 265 people in Washington State lost their lives in drunk driving crashes. In Washingon State there is a sharp increase in the number of drunk driving incidents near major holidays.

Drunk driving is one of the leading causes of motor vehicle collisions. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, 16,694 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes in the United States in 2004. This figure represents 39% of all traffic incident deaths. In fact, more than 500,000 Americans are injured annually in drunken driving crashes.

Washington State Drunk Driving Law

Washington State law provides that the drivers on the road have the duty to not operate a motor vehicle when under the influence of alcohol. See RCW 46.61.502.