In an opinion released yesterday, the New Jersey Appellate Division ruled that a DWI defendant who was previously convicted of refusing a breathalyzer test requires sentencing as a repeat offender.
The case, State v. Ciancaglini, involved a Monmouth County woman who was previously convicted of DWI in 1979, and of failing to submit to a breathalyzer test in 2006. She was again convicted of DWI in 2008.
The municipal court sentenced her as a third-time offender to six months in jail, a $1,006 fine, ten-year loss of license and vehicle registration, 12 hours at an Intoxicated Driver Resource Center, and other fees.
On appeal, the Law Division held that she should have been sentenced as a first time offender because the 1979 conviction occurred more than ten years ago and the conviction for refusal to take a breathalyzer test did not qualify as a prior conviction for DWI. The Law Division sentenced her as a first time offender to 30 days in jail, a $500 fine, 12 months license revocation, and 12 hours at an Intoxicated Driver Resource Center.
The Appellate Division disagreed and reinstated the original sentence.
