A Port Orchard man was arrested for his 13th DUI this week. The Washington State Patrol arrested Charles Sorensen for suspected drunk driving on Wednesday night, reports KOMO News.

Sorensen allegedly drove his car into a ditch following a car chase with troopers. After he was stopped, it was discovered that Sorensen was not using a mandated ignition interlock device and was also driving on a suspended license. While it has been six years since Sorensen's last DUI arrest, his DUI history could mean that Sorensen would face significant penalties for his recent arrest. In 2007, Sorensen was charged with his 12th drunk driving incident. He was convicted at that time, his seventh DUI conviction.

Generally, a repeat drunk driver who has been convicted of four or more drunk driving charges could face a Class C felony charge. This charge carries a possible five-year prison sentence in a state prison along with monetary fines, license suspension, and ignition interlock requirements.

However, there are defenses to this felony charge. For example, the prior DUI convictions typically must occur within a certain time period. So if a prior arrest occurred 20 years ago, that may not be considered to support a felony DUI charge. In addition, prior arrests that did not result in a DUI conviction or a plea deal that lowered a DUI charge to a reckless driving charge may also not be used to support the felony DUI charge.

If you have been charged with drunk driving in the Seattle or King County areas and you have a history of drunk driving on your record, you will want to contact an attorney. The penalties for a repeat drunk driver are very severe. Contact a Seattle DUI defense attorney at Wolff Criminal Defense to learn how we can help you. Call us at 425-284-2000 to schedule a consultation to discuss the details of your case.