In Maine, driving a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08% or more is a criminal offense known as Operating Under the Influence (OUI).
Between Friday, Dec.10th and Saturday, Dec. 11th, 2021, Portland Police Officers charged four people with OUI within a span of three hours.
This included cases in which drivers crashed their vehicles; were speeding and nearly struck pedestrians; attempted to flee scenes and drove through red lights and blocked-off construction areas.
The drivers were impaired by intoxicants such as alcohol and marijuana, or a combination of drugs.
Experts advise that driving while drunk or drugged is inherently dangerous to the driver and the public–and is more dangerous when drivers are impaired by multiple intoxicants.
In Maine, following your arrest for OUI, based solely on the police report and blood alcohol content (BAC) test results, the Secretary of State will immediately suspend your license. This suspension will take place prior to any court appearance.
If you are under 21 years of age, and found operating, or attempting to operate, a motor vehicle with any measurable amount of alcohol in your body, you will lose your license for one year. If you refuse a test, you will lose your license for at least 18 months. If you have a passenger under 21 years of age, an additional 180 day suspension will be imposed.
