Boaters are often surprised when they see DUI checkpoints on Arizona bodies of water, but such checkpoints are becoming more and more frequent during the summer season. The Arizona Republic reported that more than 250 vessels were stopped on July 10 by law enforcers at Lake Pleasant. Four OUI citations were issued at the sobriety checkpoint.
An OUI citation is similar to a DUI and the two citations often lead to similar charges and similar consequences, including a minimum 10-day jail sentence and a $250 fine. The OUI (operating under the influence) citation is given to boat operators who are impaired, usually having a blood-alcohol level at or above the legal limit of .08 percent.
The Maricopa Sheriff's Office and the Arizona Game and Fish Department recently set up sobriety checkpoints at Lake Pleasant to deter people from boating under the influence and to prevent boating injuries and accidents. As the Arizona Republic reports, the state of Arizona ranks seventh in the nation for boating injuries and collisions, according to statistics from the U.S Coast Guard.
The most recent OUI checkpoint at Lake Pleasant yielded just four arrests, but an average of eight to 10 arrests are usually handed out during this type of operation. Anybody who has been arrested for OUI should contact an Arizona DUI attorney to learn more about operating under the influence charges and the various defenses to such a charge. An OUI can be detrimental to a person's record and reputation, so it's important so speak to a legal expert after an OUI arrest.
Related Resources:
- Law Enforcers Targeting Impaired Boat Operators (FindLaw's Phoenix DUI Blog)
- Look for a Phoenix DUI Attorney (FindLaw)
- I Can Get a DUI on my Boat? (FindLaw's Insider Blog)
