Seattle Seahawks running back, Marshawn Lynch has pled guilty to a California wet reckless in an Alameda County court instead of going to trial.
Lynch was arrested on July 14, 2012. California Highway Patrol arrested Lynch after observing him weaving in and out of lanes while traveling north on Interstate 880 in Oakland, California. At the time of the arrest, Lynch’s blood alcohol content was shown to be 0.08 percent.
“We are resolving the case Friday by pleading to a wet reckless,” said Ivan Golde, Lynch’s attorney. “We have a strong case for trial and could win the case, but the last thing he needs is to go through a public trial.”
Lynch’s sentence includes payment of a $1,080 fine, six driver safety classes, and two years of probation.
The wet reckless plea is one that is often taken by people charged with a California DUI. It is usually the first reduction offered by prosecutors in California DUI cases to attempt to get a defendant to take a plea deal.
The wet reckless charge is only one that can be reduced from a California DUI charge through plea bargaining.
The terms of a wet reckless plea deal will vary from case to case. However, a plea to a wet reckless will require no mandatory sentence enhancements for repeat DUI offenders. While a first time DUI carries a maximum six-month jail sentence, a California wet reckless only carries a maximum 90-day jail sentence. A plea to a wet reckless will usually mean a shorter probation period (one to two years) and lesser fines and fees than a California DUI.
There is no mandatory license suspension with a California wet reckless. However, a person may still lose their license if they lose their DMV hearing. In order to save a person’s license, they must get their California DUI reduced to a wet reckless and win their California DMV hearing.
Lastly, if a person pleads to a California wet reckless, they can serve a six-week DUI program called SB 1167. A conviction for a California DUI will carry a minimum three-month program. It should be noted that a person convicted of a California wet reckless may still be required to attend a longer DUI program depending on the terms of the plea bargain.
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