That deadline runs the same, whether you get pulled over on I-90 near Moorcroft or spend a night in handcuffs after Devils Tower closes for the evening. Criminal Law just defends DWUI charges filed in Crook County and we start working as soon as you call.
DWUI Charges in Crook County
Wyoming doesn’t use the term “DUI” in its statutes. The charge is “DWUI”, Driving While Under the Influence, and it is found in Wyo. Stat. § 31-5-233. The same offense, different acronym. The state can convict you in two ways: by proving your blood alcohol concentration has hit the legal limit, or by proving that alcohol or drugs have left you incapable of driving safely. Prosecutors usually run both theories simultaneously.
- The standard per se limit is 0.08%.
- Under 21 years of age, it drops to 0.02%, as per Wyo. Stat. § 31-5-234, which is roughly one drink.
- CDL holders in commercial vehicles face 0.04%, which is half the standard limit.
- Drug cases work differently. Wyoming does not have a THC threshold per se, so the prosecutor relies on impairment from the officer’s observations, field sobriety tests, and blood tests. Delta-8 THC was made Schedule I in 2024 here, which means that a product purchased legally in South Dakota may still lead to a drugged driving charge.
- “Actual physical control” can catch people off guard. You don’t even have to be driving. Sleeping in a parked car with the keys in the ignition is enough.
Why Crook County Sees More DWUI Stops Than Its Population Suggests
About 7,900 people live in Crook County. The numbers seem like a much larger place, and the reason for this is geography. Interstate 90 runs for 208.8 miles through Wyoming, and Crook County covers the final stretch from the Moorcroft exit to Beulah on the South Dakota border. Everyone traveling between Gillette and the Black Hills travels through it.
Wyoming law also prohibits sobriety checkpoints. Enforcement is based on saturation patrols and stops for observed violations, which puts the focus squarely on I-90 and US 14.
- During the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August, the number of patrols on I-90 in the county increased significantly. Hulett, alone, attracts approximately 25,000 riders for the Ham-N-Jam event.
- During Rally week, Devils Tower receives more than 11,000 vehicles, and over 750,000 visitors visit the area annually.
- The popular Rally day trip is the Devils Tower Loop, from Beulah to Sundance, to Hulett, to Aladdin. Officers are familiar with the route as much as the riders are.
- Moorcroft, located on the Campbell County line, serves as a handoff point for agencies, where stops are frequent throughout the year.
The cases move quickly due to the volume. Early plea offers are not always good ones.
Wyoming DWUI Penalties
Penalties climb steeply with each prior conviction within a 10-year window. Out-of-state DUI convictions count towards that total, as do federal, tribal and municipal ordinance convictions.
First Offense
A misdemeanor. Up to six months in jail, which the court can suspend in full, up to $750 in fines, and a 90-day license suspension. No interlock is required below 0.15% BAC. At 0.15% or above, a six-month ignition interlock becomes mandatory. You will also complete a substance use disorder assessment at your own expense.
Second Offense Within 10 Years
Still a misdemeanor, but there is now a seven-day mandatory minimum. Probation is not available until you have served it. Fines range from $200 to $750, suspension lasts up to one year, and one-year ignition interlock is required. If your prior conviction is less than two years old, your vehicle registration will also be suspended.
Third Offense Within 10 Years
Thirty days minimum, though a judge can suspend up to half of that if you complete inpatient treatment. Fines range from $750 to $3,000. The suspension lasts for three years without a probationary licence, and the interlock requirement is doubled to two years.
Fourth Offense Within 10 Years
Now, it’s a felony DUI. It can lead to up to seven years in prison, fines of up to $10,000, permanent revocation of your license with review possible after five years, and an interlock that you can petition for removal every five years if you prove you’re safe to drive.
Charged in Crook County but You Live Somewhere Else
A large share of Crook County DWUI defendants live in South Dakota, Montana, Colorado, or Texas. Wyoming’s administrative license process applies to you anyway, and it’s where out-of-state defendants get hurt most often.
- Your physical license is taken at the time of arrest and you are issued a 30-day temporary permit.
- WYDOT then mails a notice of intent to suspend. From that notice, you have 20 days to request a hearing under Wyo. Stat. § 31-7-105.
- Requesting a hearing to suspend the action while it is pending. Missing the deadline is the most common and the most expensive mistake we see.
- Non-residents usually complete the required assessment with a certified provider in their home state.
- Reinstatement requires an SR-22 filing to be kept current for three years. This is a certificate that your insurer files with WYDOT, and not a policy.
Defense Strategies in Crook County DUI Cases
Not every DUI arrest results in a conviction, and not every breath test result is accurate. The defenses available in a DWUI case depend on the specific facts, but some of the most effective approaches include:
Challenging the traffic stop.
Police need reasonable suspicion to pull you over. If the stop wasn’t legally justified, evidence gathered afterward may be suppressible.
Attacking the breath or blood test.
Breathalyzer machines need to be calibrated and maintained correctly. The officers have to follow specific procedures when administering the test. Blood draws have their own chain of custody requirements. Any interruption in that chain is a problem.
Questioning field sobriety test administration.
Standardized field sobriety tests (SFSTs) are only reliable when administered correctly under the right conditions. Weather, road surface, footwear, and medical conditions can all affect performance in ways unrelated to intoxication.
Examining the officer’s observations.
The officer’s testimony regarding your driving, appearance, and behavior becomes part of the record. Christina Williams understands how those observations are framed in police reports because she spent years reading them from the prosecutor’s side.
What Just Criminal Law Brings to Your Sundance and Crook County DUI Defense
Most criminal defense attorneys can tell you what the law says. Fewer can tell you how a specific prosecutor in a specific county is likely to approach a case, and what arguments actually move the needle in that courtroom.
Christina L. Williams worked as a prosecutor before founding Just Criminal Law. That experience isn’t just a line on a resume. It means she evaluates every DUI case from the prosecution’s perspective first, identifying the weaknesses in the state’s evidence before they do. Just Criminal Law handles DUI defense throughout Wyoming, with specific experience in Crook County courts.
The firm is trial-ready. Not every case goes to trial, but having an attorney who is genuinely prepared to take a case to a jury changes how prosecutors engage. It changes the offers they make. It changes the dynamic of the entire case.
