Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Program

General Information

You have been charged with violating the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania prohibiting persons from driving, operating, or being in actual physical control of any vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or any controlled substance.

As a result, Title 75 of Pennsylvania (PA) Vehicle Code, Section 3816 (a) states ...every person convicted of a violation of section 3802… and every person offered Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD)… shall, prior to sentencing or receiving ARD…,be evaluated using Court Reporting Network (CRN) instruments…" and Title 75, Section 3804 (a)(1)(iii)(2)(iii) and (b)(1)(iii)(2)(iii) and (c)(1)(iii)(2)(iii) states, "…an individual who violates Section 3802(a) …shall be sentenced as follows… attend an alcohol highway safety school approved by the department.

Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition Program

In addition, the Pennsylvania has created an alternative to trial or guilty plea for those who have been charged with DUI. The alternative, Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition Program, is commonly referred to as ARD.

Arrested for a DUI

The Alcohol Highway Safety School provides mandated CRN evaluations and state approved Highway Safety Courses. It is your responsibility to complete the following requirements:

  • Following your preliminary hearing you will be scheduled for your CRN Evaluation and Booking.
  • There is a $100 fee for the CRN Evaluation. It is mandatory that you pay this fee at the time of your CRN Evaluation. You must provide a receipt of payment at the time of your CRN if you have paid previously.
  • If the CRN recommendation is treatment, a drug and alcohol assessment must be completed. The Washington County DUI program utilizes two providers for this service. You will be scheduled for this part of the process at the completion of your CRN, and scheduled with either the CARE Center, or the Washington Drug and Alcohol Commission. The fee for the drug and alcohol evaluation is $133.

CRN Evaluation

A one-hour evaluation will be scheduled for you at the conclusion of your preliminary hearing and will be completed at the Washington County Booking Center located within the Family Court Center.  If you fail to attend your CRN appointment your bond may be revoked and you may be incarcerated. You must report for your CRN sober and drug-free, if you are under the influence the CRN may not be completed, and you will not be permitted to operate a motor vehicle leaving the Courthouse. A sober driver will need to provide a ride home for you.

Rescheduling

You may only reschedule this evaluation in case of an emergency. A $30 reschedule fee will be assessed to you if this occurs. You must contact the Booking Center if you are rescheduling either your CRN or Alcohol Highway Safety School (AHSS).  Failure to do so may cause legal issues with your case.

Alcohol Highway Safety School

The AHSS will be scheduled for you immediately following your CRN. The cost of the AHSS is $300. The AHSS will be held in the Washington County Courthouse Jury Lounge. All participants are to enter through the Cherry Avenue entrance. Each participant must complete 12.5 hours of instruction and must attend sober and drug-free. 

Sober & Drug-Free Attendance

If you are believed to be under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance you will be removed from class. A sober driver will need to verify with the AHSS instructor that they are providing a ride home for you. This may be a violation of your conditions of supervision and the law.

Class Schedule

If the need arises for you to complete sessions out of order this must be approved through the DUI Coordinator

Tuesday Evenings
4:45 to 8 p.m.
Tuesday sessions require 4 subsequent sessions in order to complete

Thursday Evenings
4:45 to 8 p.m.
Thursday sessions require 4 subsequent sessions in order to complete

Saturdays
8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday sessions are two sessions followed in order

DUI Program Costs

CRN Evaluations and the AHSS are the responsibility of the defendant and are required to be paid at the time of the scheduled session.  View the following costs:

  • AHSS: $300
  • CRN Evaluation: $100
  • Early Payment Discount: $375 (if paid at the time of the CRN)

DUI Repeat Offender Program (D.R.O.P.)

If you have been arrested for a subsequent DUI offense within a ten year period, you may be placed into the D.R.O.P. immediately following your preliminary hearing if ordered as a condition of bail at the discretion of the Magisterial District Judge. If so, you will be required to have a Continuous Alcohol Monitoring (CAM) device attached to your person, or be required to submit to random urinalysis testing, for the purpose of insuring your abstinence of alcohol or controlled substances prior to adjudication. All drug testing occurs at the Washington County Adult Probation Drug Testing Laboratory.  You also will be required to complete the statutory components of the DUI program, i.e. CRN, AHSS, and a comprehensive drug and alcohol evaluation.

Payment

You will be required to provide immediate payment of $232 for your first two weeks of monitoring. You will be required to pay every two weeks in advance for the cost of the CAM at a cost of $182.