Reducing Impaired Driving Recidivism (RIDR) Diversion Program

Hillsborough County has one of the highest rates of DUI accidents and injuries in the state of Florida. In effort to counteract this trend, the Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office has introduced a new DUI diversion program. The program aims to reduce the amount of repeat DUI offenders in the county, promoting community health and safety. If you have been arrested for DUI, contact an experienced Tampa DUI attorney at Pallegar Law, P.A. to determine your eligibility for this program and to fight the charges against you.

There are several requirements for entrance into the RIDR diversion program in Hillsborough County. First, the offense must have occurred on or after March 1st, 2018. The following are the rest of requirements for entry into the program:

• The charge must be a misdemeanor DUI (no bodily injury or property damage)
• No crash associated with the DUI arrest
• No minor was in the car at the time of DUI arrest
• Must have a BAC of less than .20
• No prior charge of DUI, alcohol-related reckless driving, driving on a suspended license with bodily injury, leaving the scene of an accident with bodily injury
• No prior DUI diversion program
• No prior felony conviction or withhold of adjudication on a felony charge within the last five years
• No pending Pre-Trial Intervention program
• No pending drivers license suspension, DUI, driving on a suspended license with bodily injury, leaving the scene of an accident with bodily injury
• You must not be currently on probation

After determining who is eligible to enter the RIDR program, the State Attorney will assign a level of sanction corresponding to the severity of the offense. Sanctions range from Level I to Level III.

• Level I: BAC at or below .15
• Level II: BAC above .15 or refused breath sample
• Level III: Drug-related DUI

All offenders who wish to participate in the RIDR diversion program must complete sanctions prior to entering a plea. All offenders must complete DUI school or other recommended treatment, attend a MADD Victim Impact Panel, complete 10 community service hours, and remain crime-free.

Level I and Level II offenders must provide proof of an ignition interlock device or other alcohol monitoring device. Level III offenders must not possess or consume alcohol or drugs, and use a PharmCheck Drugs of Abuse Patch. The results of the patch are sent to the State Attorney’s Office. If you have been arrested for DUI, contact a skilled Tampa DUI attorney at Pallegar Law, P.A. today. Your attorney will be able to determine your eligibility in the program and help explore your options for defense.

Once the pre-plea sanctions have been completed, the State will offer the following plea deal: a charge of Reckless Driving, withhold of adjudication, twelve months of probation, court costs, ten day vehicle immobilization, no possession or consumption of alcohol or drugs during probation, and completion of DUI school and any further recommended treatment. If your case is resolved this way, your record of the arrest and charge is eligible to be sealed.

For more information on sealing and expunging, visit https://www.pallegarlawfirm.com/sealing-and-expunging.html

Level I offenders must complete 50 hours of community service and submit to three months of alcohol monitoring (ignition interlock or continuous alcohol monitoring). Level II offenders must complete 75 hours of community service and submit to six months of alcohol monitoring. Level III offenders must complete 50 community service hours and wear a PharmCheck Drugs of Abuse Patch for three months.

If you or someone you know has been arrested for DUI, contact an aggressive Tampa DUI attorney at Pallegar Law, P.A. to begin exploring your options for defense. Call 813-444-3912 for your free consultation.