Benton City DUI Incident Leads to Arrest of Impaired Driver

Benton County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a collision in Benton City on Wednesday night.

The Crash Occurred on Jacobs Road in Benton City

After investigation, it was learned that the driver of a pickup truck veered into another vehicle traveling westbound. According to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office:

Deputies contacted the driver and observed obvious signs of impairment. The driver was arrested for DUI and booked into the Benton County Jail.

READ MORE: Urgent Search Underway for Missing Woman in Pasco Community

DUI in Washington State

• A DUI in WA State is typically a gross misdemeanor with mandatory penalties.

• Punishments can include 1 – 364 days in jail, thousands in fines ($350-$5,000+), and 90 days to 4-year license suspensions.

• A BAC of 0.08% or higher, or impairment by drugs applies.

• First offenses require mandatory minimum jail (24 hours), probation, and ignition interlock devices.

• A DUI conviction is permanently on your criminal record.

• A DUI can become a FELONY if you have 3 prior offenses within 10 years, a previous felony DUI conviction, or if the DUI caused injury to a person.

If you’re arrested for DUI, you have 7 days to request a hearing with the Department of Licensing to challenge the automatic license suspension.