2022 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 56 - Motor Vehicles
Chapter 5 - Uniform Act Regulating Traffic On Highways
Section 56-5-2945. Offense of felony driving under the influence; penalties; "great bodily injury" defined.
(A) A person who, while under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or the combination of alcohol and drugs, drives a motor vehicle and when driving a motor vehicle does any act forbidden by law or neglects any duty imposed by law in the driving of the motor vehicle, which act or neglect proximately causes great bodily injury or death to another person, is guilty of the offense of felony driving under the influence, and, upon conviction, must be punished:
(1) by a mandatory fine of not less than five thousand one hundred dollars nor more than ten thousand one hundred dollars and mandatory imprisonment for not less than thirty days nor more than fifteen years when great bodily injury results;
(2) by a mandatory fine of not less than ten thousand one hundred dollars nor more than twenty-five thousand one hundred dollars and mandatory imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than twenty-five years when death results.
A part of the mandatory sentences required to be imposed by this section must not be suspended, and probation must not be granted for any portion.
(B) As used in this section, "great bodily injury" means bodily injury which creates a substantial risk of death or which causes serious, permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ.
(C)(1) The Department of Motor Vehicles shall suspend the driver's license of a person who is convicted pursuant to this section. For suspension purposes of this section, convictions arising out of a single incident must run concurrently.
(2) After the person is released from prison, the person shall enroll in the Ignition Interlock Device Program pursuant to Section 56-5-2941, end the suspension, and obtain an ignition interlock restricted license pursuant to Section 56-1-400. The ignition interlock device is required to be affixed to the motor vehicle for three years when great bodily injury results and five years when a death occurs.
(D) One hundred dollars of each fine imposed pursuant to this section must be placed by the Comptroller General into a special restricted account to be used by the Department of Public Safety for the Highway Patrol.
HISTORY: 1983 Act No. 114 Section 4; 1987 Act No. 58 Section 1; 1987 Act No. 82 Section 1; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 1419; 1993 Act No. 184 Section 252; 2003 Act No. 61, Section 17; 2008 Act No. 201, Section 8, eff February 10, 2009; 2014 Act No. 158 (S.137), Section 11, eff October 1, 2014.
