News / Law
UFC Champion Jon Jones Sentenced For DWI, Avoids Jail
UFC Champion Jon Jones evaded jail time for a DWI charge stemming from his arrest in May.
Jones was May 19th after he crashed his 2012 Bentley into a utility pole in the early morning hours. He was arrested for suspicion of DWI after police said he showed signs of intoxication. Jones was not injured, but two of his female passengers were.
On May 29th, Jones pleaded guilty to the charge. As part of his plea, Jones will pay a $1,000 fine and a face a six month suspension of his driver’s license. He will also be required to complete a victim impact panel over the next 90 days.
Victim impact panels force the guilty party to listen to the stories of victims whose lives have been affected by impaired drivers.
Jones is among the numerous sports figures who have been arrested for DUI over the past few months. He now has his legal troubles behind him and will defend his title on September 1st.
DWI, which means driving while intoxicated, is a more serious charge than DUI, driving under the influence. When a person is charged with DWI, it generally means they were well- above the legal limit for blood alcohol content, though the charges extend to drugs as well as alcohol.
DWIs generally carry tougher penalties because the driver was very intoxicated when they got behind the wheel. In some cases, it is possible for a DWI attorney to have the charges reduced to a DUI. But before a person makes a plea they should see if they have the possibility of stopping a conviction altogether.
