A woman was recently fined $30,400 after being found guilty of drunk driving.
Katharina G Andresen was pulled over in her Audi and was found to have a blood alcohol content of three times the legal limit. Her sentence included 18 days of jail, a 13-month license suspension, and a whopping $30,400 fine.
Ok, so this story thus far has been a little misleading. Not only is Andresen the world’s wealthiest 22-year-old, the case also took place in Norway where the fine for a DUI is based on a person’s income and Andresen is worth approximately $1.23 billion according to Forbes.
In fact, according to the Associated Press, the fine could have been much higher.
“Oslo City Court said the penalty could have been up to 40 million krone ($4.9 million) if based on Andresen’s assets, but they ‘have not yielded any dividend yet’ and she has no fixed income,” the wire service said. “The court did increase the fine because of her estimated wealth, however.”
“I’m sorry I drove with [alcohol in my blood]. I thought I no longer had it after so long, but should have checked it. And I’m very sorry, “Andresen said in a statement to the press.
Thankfully, here in California, a person convicted of a DUI, even one where their blood alcohol content is three times the legal limit of 0.08 percent, can expect a fine between $390 and $1,000. While the court can sentence a person up to maximum $1,000 fine, they almost always give a fine of the minimum of $390. Having said that, the court also tacks on “penalties and assessments,” which I tell clients are like court taxes. After the penalties and assessments are included, the fine of $390 becomes about $2,000, give or take a couple of hundred depending on the court and county.
Although not $30,400, a fine of $2,000 is still too much for something that is completely avoidable with a $10 cab ride.
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