Sebastopol Mother Faces Felony Charges for Second DUI Offense While on Probation (CA Vehicle Code 23152(a))

For some people, family relationships are difficult, especially around the holidays.  But, this Thanksgiving, you can be sure that one Sebastopol mother won’t be celebrating with her son.  The son was in his 1939 classic Ford Cabriolet when he was nearly run off of Stony Point Road by a woman he did not immediately recognize.  After following her, and contacting officers with the California Highway Patrol, he discovered that the driver of the silver car that caused him so much grief was none other than his own mother.  When police arrived at his mother’s home, she was given a field sobriety test, which she failed.  She was already on probation for a DUI she received in July and her license was still under suspension.  She was arrested on charges of a felony DUI, driving without car insurance, violation of her probation, and driving with a suspended license.

In California, DUI charges are taken very seriously; they are considered ‘priorable’ offenses, meaning that one conviction can pile up on another, so to speak (CA Vehicle Code 23152(a)).  Each time you are convicted of a DUI, the penalties become more and more severe.  This being her second DUI in 3 months, a second conviction will mean a felony offense and she will have to contend with some harsh consequences.  First, she will be subject to up to 5 years of probation and a maximum sentence of 1 year in county jail.  She will also be subject to up to $1,000 in fines and completion of a stint in an approved California DUI school.  Additionally, her driver’s license will likely be suspended for another 2-year period.