When defending against criminal charges of driving while intoxicated, sometimes drivers choose to accept plea agreements in order to avoid the possibility of jail time. This is exactly what North Carolina native, Jaime Pressly, recently decided to do.
The 34-year-old actress, who is known for her roles in My Name is Earl, Ringmasterand Not Another Teen Movie, had been charged with two counts of drunk driving with respect to a January 2011 arrest. She was arrested in California after police officers suspected that she was driving while intoxicated during a routine traffic stop.
According to the police charges, she was accused of driving while her blood-alcohol content was allegedly more than .20. That would be more than twice the legal limit of .08. She was at risk of spending six months in prison if she was convicted on these charges.
Instead, she agreed to plead no contest to a misdemeanor charge of DUI for driving with a blood-alcohol content of .08 percent or higher. According to the plea agreement, she was sentenced to three years of probation and will have to complete a six-month alcohol education class. She will, however, escape jail time.
In addition, she will be required to have an ignition-locking device installed in any vehicle that she intends to drive. Such a device will prevent her from driving if they have any alcohol on her breath. Finally, she will have to pay nearly $400 in fees, not to mention any penalties that may be imposed.
Source: Radaronline.com, “Jaime Pressly Pleads No Contest To Drunken Driving, Will Have Locking Device On Her Car,” Adam S. Levy, Aug. 26, 2011