Chattanooga Felony DUI Lawyer
An Experienced & Results-Driven Advocate to Fight for Your Defense
Felony DUIs are serious matters with significantly high stakes. As a result, it is imperative that you put an experienced and hardworking lawyer on your defense. Our firm is dedicated to your fight and will keep you informed and reassured every step of the way. We will help you navigate an overwhelming criminal justice system and provide you the genuine and caring advocacy you need in the face of your felony DUI charges.
Don’t let a reckless mistake take away your future; call the Law Offices of Meredith Mochel at (423) 250-1499 or contact us online to discuss your legal options immediately.
Meredith got both charges dismissed and I only have to take a class. Thanks so much Meredith! You are the best!Lorrie C.


Vehicular Assault
One type of felony DUI is vehicular assault, which is a Class D felony. TN Code § 39-13-106 (2015) defines vehicular assault as an incident when someone recklessly causes serious bodily injury to another person through the operation of a motor vehicle. This recklessness could be due to intoxication by alcohol or drugs, or both.
The penalties for vehicular assault include:
- 2-12 years in jail;
- license revocation for 1-5 years (depending on the number of priors);
- fines; and
- court costs.
If the defendant has 1 prior conviction for an alcohol-related offense, they will face a 45-day mandatory minimum sentence in jail (increased from the standard 48 hours for a first offense). Those with 2 priors will face a mandatory minimum of 120 days, and those with 3 priors will face a mandatory minimum of 150 days.
Note that the defendant will be charged with aggravated vehicular assault if they have 2 prior DUI-related convictions or 1 prior DUI conviction (within 20 years) that involved a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .20% or more.
Vehicular Homicide
Another type of felony DUI is vehicular homicide, which involves the reckless killing of another person by the operation of a motor vehicle while the driver:
- creates a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to a person (Class C felony);
- is intoxicated by alcohol or drugs or both (Class B felony);
- is engaging in prohibited drag racing (Class C felony); or
- drove into a posted construction zone where the person killed was an employee of the department of transportation or a highway construction worker (Class D felony).
As with vehicular assault, the penalties for vehicular homicide will depend on the number of prior convictions the defendant has. If they have 1 prior conviction for an alcohol-related offense, they will face a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 45 days, increased from the standard 48 hours. If they have 2 priors for an alcohol-related offense, the mandatory minimum will rise to 120 days. Lastly, if the defendant has 3 or more priors, they will incur a mandatory minimum of 150 days.
In addition to jail time, the court may also prohibit a defendant from driving in Tennessee for 3-10 years.
Note that an offense will be charged as aggravated vehicular homicide by intoxication if the defendant has 2 prior convictions within 20 years or 1 prior DUI conviction that involved a BAC of .20 or more.
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DUI Defense
Contact the Law Offices of Meredith Mochel for Help
If you have been charged with a felony DUI in Chattanooga, such as vehicular assault or vehicular homicide, let the Law Offices of Meredith Mochel defend you. We have handled many DUI cases throughout our practice, including felony DUIs. As felony DUIs are much more serious, you will need an experienced attorney like ours to build a strong and thorough defense.
Contact the Law Offices of Meredith Mochel to discuss your defense options in more detail. Reach out to us online or at (423) 250-1499.


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