A South Carolina man has been charged with DUI and unlawful conduct towards a child after police say he had a blood-alcohol level of .16. The man had allegedly been drinking before picking up his daughter and two of her friends from a school function. There is information posted on the Anderson & Schuster Blog relating to penalties for DUI. However, the topic of a charge for unlawful conduct towards a child has not been discussed.
This charge is also referred to as Child Endangerment. If convicted, this charge carries additional penalties along with the penalties associated with driving under the influence of alcohol. A person who is over 18 years of age and operates a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs with one or more passengers under the age of 16 in the car when the violation occurs can be found guilty of child endangerment. In addition to the penalties normally associated with a DUI, someone convicted of Child Endangerment can face a fine of up to 1/2 of the DUI charge, imprisonment of up to 1/2 of the maximum jail time for the DUI charge, license suspensions, and a wait period to apply for a provisional license or enroll in the Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program (ADSAP) until after the expiration of the license suspension.
Source: WIS 10 Columbia, Police: Man Driving 3 Kids Charged With DUI
