Practice Areas · DUI Defense
Felony DUI
San Diego DUI Defense
Felony DUI in San Diego
A DUI becomes a felony in California when it is a fourth offense within ten years, when the driver has a prior felony DUI, or when the DUI causes injury or death. Felony DUI carries state prison exposure, a lengthy license revocation, and a permanent record.
These are serious cases that demand an aggressive, experienced defense. Crudo Law scrutinizes the evidence, the testing, and the causation, and fights to protect your freedom and your future.
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By the Numbers
Felony DUI, by the numbers
12,4291
People killed in U.S. alcohol-impaired-driving crashes in 2023, equal to 30% of all traffic deaths
On average one alcohol-impaired-driving death occurred every 42 minutes in 2023.
1,3552
California alcohol-impaired driving fatalities (driver or rider at BAC 0.08+) in 2023
Down from 1,419 in 2022, per the California Office of Traffic Safety.
2,8273
Victims killed or injured in alcohol-involved crashes in San Diego County in 2023
From the California OTS crash rankings for San Diego County, out of 18,773 total fatal-and-injury victims.
4,2284
Felony DUI arrests in California in 2020
Out of 95,957 total DUI arrests statewide (4.4% were felonies); the DUI arrest rate was 357 per 100,000 licensed drivers.
0.08 g/dL1
Blood-alcohol level at which a driver is legally impaired in all 50 states (0.04 for commercial drivers)
In 2023, 67% (8,272) of alcohol-impaired-driving deaths involved a driver at 0.15 BAC or higher.
Frequently asked
Common questions
When is a DUI a felony?+
A DUI is a felony when it is your fourth within ten years, when you have a prior felony DUI, or when the DUI caused injury or death to another person.
Can a felony DUI be reduced to a misdemeanor?+
In some cases, yes. A wobbler felony may be reduced depending on the facts, your record, and the strength of the defense.
Related practice areas
Sources
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Traffic Safety Facts, 2023 Data: Alcohol-Impaired Driving (DOT HS 813 713) (2025). https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/Publication/813713
- California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), California Traffic Safety Quick Stats / OTS Score Card (2023). https://www.ots.ca.gov/ots-and-traffic-safety/score-card/
- California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), OTS Crash Rankings, San Diego County 2023 (2023). https://www.ots.ca.gov/rankings/san-diego-county-2023/
- California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), 31st Annual Report of the California DUI Management Information System (CAL-DMV-RSS-23-263), DUI Summary Statistics 2010-2020 (2023). https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/uploads/2023/09/2022-DUI-MIS-Report.pdf
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