Washington County has the second highest rate of DWI arrests in the state of Arkansas.
Last year alone, offenders paid a combined four million dollars to drink and driving.
DWI arrests are nothing new to officers in Washington County, where DWI arrests happen more than 5 times a day on average.
Last year alone, offenders paid a combined four million dollars to drink and driving.
DWI arrests are nothing new to officers in Washington County, where DWI arrests happen more than 5 times a day on average.
"It's staggering how many people think it's okay to drink and drive and how many accidents they cause," says Corporal Bruce Strain with the Washington County Sheriff's Office.
Washington County sees almost 2,000 drunk drivers in and out of jail doors every year.
That's six times the amount of DWI arrests in Benton County.
"Drunk driving is not a laughing matter. It's a crime that a lot of people commit but its a serious crime," says Doug Norwood, a DWI Attorney inn Northwest Arkansas.
"Once you get the pat down, that's kind of a wake up call for a lot of folks," says Strain.
And from the moment your booked, the bills start piling up.
"It costs a lot of money to defend a DWI. To hire a lawyer, I mean it can be anywhere from 700-1,000 dollars depending on the facts," says Norwood.
And Doug Norwood would know. He's defended these cases for the past 25 years and business is booming.
But that's just the beginning of the cash you'll have to shell out.
Here's a look at the minimum costs:
Bond: $200-1,320
Lawyer Fees: $700
Court costs: $300
Fines: $150
Alcohol classes: $150
Drivers license reinstatement fees: $150
Car breathlyzer device:
Interlock device: $135 initial
Per month: $60 (60x 6 months=$360)
Removal: $20
At bare minimum, that's more than $2,000 for a first offense. That price skyrockets if you have other DWI's on your record.
Cassidy: "Do you think most people understand the gravity of a DWI?"
"I don't think they do until they get caught," says Strain.
And there's plenty of time to brood behind bars.
"Don't do the crime if you can't do the time but most of the time for DWI's its not time, it's money," says Norwood.
Last year alone, DWI offenders in Washington County paid more than four million dollars combined to drink and drive.
"It would be cheaper for the average person to call a lawyer to come pick them up and come take you home than it is to hire that same lawyer to defend you in court, a whole lot cheaper," says Norwood.
"It's not worth the risk. It's not worth the risk of your life, it's not worth the risk of the other people on the road. You may think that you're just fine to drive, or you may kill a family of five," says Strain.
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