After any DUI arrest, the first essential course of action is to hire a qualified DUI attorney. This becomes especially important when a suspect has multiple DUIs, because each subsequent DUI carries stiffer penalties. Just ask Anthony J. Law, who recently had his fifth DUI arrest.

The Seattle Times blog reports that prior to his most recent arrest, Law had racked up four other DUI related offenses: three previous DUI convictions and one DUI charge that was reduced to reckless endangerment. The latest DUI brings Law's tally up to five.

If a person has multiple prior offenses, they may face a felony Seattle DUI charge

A Washington State Trooper on a routine patrol noticed that a green pickup truck towing a boat was driving erratically, so he took immediate action In his report, the trooper stated that the truck, "started to weave, steer and jerk very bad, crossing the right skip line two more times, once by 2-3 tire widths. The right turn signal came on, the pickup drifted left across the lane, the (sic) onto the left skip line, all the while the boat trailer was swinging back and forth."

The trooper then flashed his emergency lights and pulled Law over. According to charging documents:

Upon contacting the driver at the passenger door Trooper Pigott was met with the overwhelming odor of intoxicating beverages coming from inside the pickup. The driver was identified with his Washington State ID card as the defendant; "his eyes were bloodshot and watery, his eyelids were droopy, his speech was slurred, he lit a cigarette, and the floorboard was littered with empty beer cans." The two passengers in the pickup also immediately lit cigarettes and began puffing on them.

Despite obvious evidence to the contrary, including lack of coordination and the presence of alcohol paraphernalia, Law denied having consumed any alcohol. The trooper then placed Law under arrest without performing field sobriety tests. A passenger in the car contradicted Law's statement and said that he had been drinking all night. The passenger also claimed that she feared for her safety.

A background check on Law then revealed his four previous DUIs and the legal requirement that his vehicle have an ignition interlock device, which was not present on the truck.

Once he was brought into a Washington State Patrol office, Law requested an attorney, stopped answering questions, and refused a breathalyzer test. Officers then obtained a telephonic warrant for a blood draw and transported Law to St. Claire Hospital.

The results are still pending at the time of this writing, but Law currently faces a felony and subsequent prison time, thanks to his prior record. Altogether, Law faces charges of felony driving under the influence, reckless endangerment, and driving without an ignition interlock system.

The Seattle DUI lawyers at Wolff Criminal Defense are available for a free consultation

Sounds like Law is going to need a good DUI lawyer, as he has pleaded not-guilty to the latest charges against him in Pierce County court. If you need a DUI attorney of your own, contact Wolff Criminal Defense. We specialize in working with DUI suspects, and we understand the laws.