Perhaps this year's increase in DUI arrests is not due to an increase in drunk drivers, but instead an increase in officers enforcing the state's drunk driving laws. ABC News reports that participating officers increased from 1303 in 2009 to 5423 in 2010. The number of traffic stops more than doubled from last year, with a reported 30,068 this year compared to 13,697 in 2009.
There are people in Arizona who are wrongfully arrested for driving under the influence each year. If you suspect that law enforcers did not go through the proper procedures when making an arrest, including conducting the wrong procedures at a sobriety checkpoint, you should contact an Arizona DUI attorney to receive the best defense possible in your drunk driving case. Listings of local attorneys can be found through FindLaw's directory.
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The Toronto Sun reports that a Scottsdale judge also sentenced Nikolai Khabibulin to complete an alcohol-education program and pay fines of more than $1,500 in addition to spending 30 days behind bars. But will the hockey player follow through with this sentence?
]]> The Oiler has an experienced Phoenix DUI attorney representing him in his case, who says that he plans to appeal the sentence. Through the appeals process, DUI attorneys are looking to get Nikolai Khabibulin's sentence reduced. Because the appeals process can take months or even years to conclude, it's likely that we'll see Nikolai Khabibulin out of jail and on the ice for the 2010-2011 NHL season.Some Arizonians might say that Nikolai Khabibulin was lucky to get off with such a lenient sentence for the convictions of extreme driving under the influence, excessive speed and driving under the influence with blood alcohol level over .08. FindLaw states that a conviction to extreme DUI, a DUI with BAC level over .15, carries enhanced penalties with a minimum sentence of 30 days in jail. Essentially, Nikolai Khabibulin may have gotten lucky with the minimum sentence for such an offense. However, a Phoenix DUI attorney can always appeal a sentence or DUI conviction. Time will tell if an appeal will work in the goalie's favor.
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The Arizona Republic reports that the Pinal County Regional DUI Task Force will be conducting patrols starting at 6:00 p.m. on Friday and will continue until Monday. The Phoenix News Times reported that various Phoenix metro law enforcement agencies will be conducting their Annual Labor Day Weekend DUI Task Force this weekend.
]]> Officers with the various DUI task forces in the Valley will be checking drivers for signs of impairment at sobriety checkpoints. But even with checkpoints, drivers still maintain their same legal rights. It's important to know that authorities still cannot conduct illegal searches or mandate that drivers participate in field sobriety tests. Most importantly, drivers still have the right to contact an Arizona DUI attorney when they've been stopped at a checkpoint.Phoenix DUI attorneys say that the best way to prevent a DUI charge is to simply avoid drinking and driving. This should be simple on Labor Day weekend because AAA is once again offering their Tipsy Tow service starting at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday Sept. 5 until 6:00 a.m. on Monday Sept. 6. Drivers can call 1-800-AAA-HELP to get a free ride home and a free car tow from AAA. You don't even have to be a AAA member for this sevice.
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The search began yesterday and will continue until the weekend, where authorities are visiting the homes and businesses of those with outstanding warrants for driving under the influence charges. As of Tuesday, there were more than 300 DUI warrants in the town of Surprise.
]]> In the state of Arizona, failing to appear for a court date when being charged with DUI can result with an outstanding DUI warrant in your name. An outstanding warrant can carry additional consequences to a DUI charge as the suspect can face additional criminal charges, including charges for failing to appear in court or failing to fulfill the court ordered requirements.Anybody with an outstanding DUI arrest warrant can self-surrender to the courts Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. at the Surprise City Court, located at 6081 North Civic Center Plaza Suite 105. Many people who have been arrested for DUI do not show up for their court date because they're scared to face the consequences or feel that they're innocent and shouldn't have to go to court. However, simply not showing up for a court date is never a good idea. If you feel that you've been charged for drunk driving related crime that you did not commit, you can always contact an Arizona DUI attorney to help you with criminal defense procedures.
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The Governor's Office of Highway Safety has reportedly increased its spending on ad campaigns to prevent drunk driving and DUI enforcement by more than 800 percent from 2004 to 2010. This could be one reason why the state has seen a decrease in the number of DUI deaths. Another reason could be due to new regulations and laws regarding drinking while driving. The state didn't have the legal limit of .08 percent until 2001. Since then, Arizona has passed laws to require all first-time DUI offenders to install ignition-interlock devices on their vehicles. First time DUI offenders that have a blood-alcohol level of .20 or more also face a minimum of 180 days in jail thanks to the state's super extreme DUI law, one of the harshest DUI laws in the country.
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According to ASU, a person's BAC level only diminishes at a set, slow pace as the liver metabolizes the alcohol that has been consumed. Taking a shower, exercising, or getting a burst of energy in an alternative way has no effect on how alcohol is metabolized, hence the best way to sober up is to simply wait.
]]> Other reports say that mixing caffeine and alcohol can actually have a negative effect on the body. USA Today reported last year that a study by Temple University showed that consuming caffeine while drunk can create the illusion that a person is less impaired than he or she really is. This can lead to all sorts of dangerous situations, including drunk driving.The study states that a person may feel awake and competent to get behind the wheel, when in reality that person could be far over the legal blood-alcohol limit. This is why an Arizona DUI attorney might recommend completely avoiding the combination of alcohol and caffeine. Anybody who is arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in the Grand Canyon state should immediately contact an Arizona DUI attorney to learn more about a suspect's legal rights in such a situation.
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The Arizona Daily Star reports that these signatures are not required by state law, but can protect the store of legal trouble if there was ever an investigation. With this system, Safeway can prove that its clerks were diligent about checking IDs. If a store does not have records of a person's signature, the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control states that a judge can presume the clerk did not check for ID.
]]>Perhaps spending an extra minute in the checkout line could help prevent underage drinking and as well as prevent underage persons from getting a DUI. Many people in the state of Arizona have applauded Safeway's efforts since the program's implementation.
"Anytime a company puts a policy in place to help the underage-drinking problem we have, I think that's a good idea," Yolanda Herrera, chair of the Pima County-Tucson Task Force to Reduce Underage Drinking, told the Arizona Daily Star.
The state of Arizona has a zero tolerance policy for those under the age of 21 who drive under the influence, meaning that a BAC level that is .01 or above can lead to a DUI charge. After a DUI arrest, a person under the age of 21 still has the right to be represented by an Arizona DUI attorney to ensure that all the evidence is properly analyzed in a given case.
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It is against the law in Arizona for a person in a vehicle to have an open empty container that once contained an alcoholic beverage or an open container with an alcoholic beverage still in it. According to Arizona Revised Statute 4-251, a person that violates the open container law can be found guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor, which is punishable with a fine of up to $750 and up to four months in jail. Other states simply have a fine that is less than $50 for such a violation.
]]> ARS 4-251 also states that there is an exception to the law: if a person is a passenger of a bus, limousine or taxi and is in possession of an open container then it is still legal to be in possession of an open container of alcohol.Anybody that has been accused of violating the state's open container law should contact an Arizona DUI attorney for help with criminal defense. An attorney can work to get the charges dismissed or reduced and ensure that the defendant's rights are being protected. More information on DUI laws and open container laws can be found through our Related Resources pages.
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The Sheriff's Department says that they have "speed enforcement" patrols that are making rounds to the various schools in the area. On Wednesday, deputies reportedly staked out in front of Flowing Wells Junior High School in Tucson to catch people speeding.
]]> While it's no big crime to receive a simple traffic citation, Arizona DUI attorneys warn that a basic traffic violation opens the doors for law enforcers to interrogate a person for drunk driving. If an officer suspects that a person behind the wheel is no sober, he or she can then ask the driver to perform field sobriety tests or take a preliminary breath test.Deputies with the Pima County Sheriff's Department say that they surprisingly do catch drunk drivers in school zones at 8:00 a.m. Those people are then arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence or occasionally aggravated DUI.
Law enforcers in the Tucson area also plan to crack down on drunk drivers by setting up sobriety checkpoints on weekends. The checkpoints are set to coincide with the University of Arizona and Pima Community College schools starting back up again.
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In addition to drunk driving charges, the woman also reportedly faces charges of battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer with violence. These charges come after allegations that the suspect threatened police officers and that the suspect kicked an officer in the groin after throwing handcuffs at him.
]]> A case like this shows how there can be many consequences to a DUI in addition to the legal penalties. The state of Arizona is known to have some of the harshest DUI laws in the country, where people convicted of a DUI charge typically are sentenced to time in jail, probation, high fines, license suspension, and the installation of an ignition interlock device.Yet in addition to these consequences, DUI offenders may also face humiliation and can even face problems getting employment or maintaining their current job after being convicted of such an offense. In the state of Arizona, a Phoenix DUI attorney can often help a person accused of drunk driving by explaining what options they do have in such a situation. More information on drunk driving crimes can be found through our Related Resources pages.
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Start the school year off fresh with a clean record. Any Phoenix DUI attorney would agree that the penalties of DUI in Arizona can be quite severe with mandatory jail time, thousands of dollars in fines and courts fees, driver license suspension, and mandatory ignition interlock devices, all for just a first-time driving under the influence conviction.
Year after year, ASU seems to be plagued by drunk drivers. The Arizona Governor's Office of Highway Safety says there's a 30 percent chance that all drivers will be involved in an alcohol-related crash in their lifetimes. FindLaw states that underage drinking continues to be part of the college lifestyle with a 2007 study by the University of Minnesota reporting that nearly half of college students indulge in binge drinking or drug abuse at least once a month.
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The Arizona Republic Reports that off-campus housing facilities in Tempe have also started to regulate underage drinking and develop alcohol consumption policies. Officers with the Tempe Police Department enforce such policies and will target a particular apartment complex when they receive multiple complaints from that complex.
]]> The Vue on Apache complex was one complex that was targeted by police officers after the police department had reportedly received 244 complaints within the first few months of the complex's opening. When police conducted a targeted enforcement operation last September, 90 residents of the Vue on Apache were arrested for underage drinking.Arizona DUI attorneys often work on the criminal defense of drunk driving cases. However, an AZ DUI attorney can also defend people who have been charged with other alcohol-related crimes, such as underage drinking, minor in possession (MIP), and public intoxication. All of these charges can lead to serious consequences that can end up being part of a person's permanent record. Hence, it's a good idea to talk to a legal expert when charged with such a crime. More information about underage drinking crimes can be found through our Related Resource pages.
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The Prescott Daily Courier reports that once Dana Anderson failed the field sobriety tests, she was booked into the Yavapai County Jail in Camp Verde on charges of super extreme DUI over .20 BAC, extreme DUI BAC greater than .15, DUI of .08 or more, DUI, felony endangerment, and felony criminal damage. Apparently, it's going to cost $5,000 to repair the road sign.
]]> Because the woman is facing multiple DUI charges, it would be a good idea for her to contact an Arizona DUI attorney to learn of what options she has at this point. According to FindLaw, the consequences of an Arizona super extreme DUI conviction (BAC level over .20) are pretty harsh in that the minimum sentence for such an offense is 45 days in jail. A second super extreme DUI charge has a mandatory sentence of 180 days in jail.Yet when it comes to a driving under the influence charge, an Arizona DUI attorney will often establish a plea bargain on behalf of the defendant. This process ensures that the defendant will plead guilty, but to a lesser charge. So perhaps a DUI attorney can get the super extreme DUI charge dropped if the defendant pleads guilty to the other charges.
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In this case, it would be important for the hit-and-run suspect to contact a Phoenix DUI attorney if he is charged with a crime. This is especially true if the man is charged with a DUI. There may not be enough evidence in the case to link the suspect to the accident and there also may not be enough evidence in the case to link the man to a DUI crime.
An Arizona DUI attorney will typically make sure that all the evidence in a case, including any chemical tests or field sobriety tests administered, are properly analyzed. An attorney will also provide proper legal representation for the defendant and may also be able to establish a plea bargain.
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ABC News reports that International Beer Day first came about in 2007 by a few people that hail from Santa Cruz, CA that simply just wanted to celebrate beer and the people that provide it. Carly's Bistro in Phoenix and Dos Gringos in Scottsdale were just a couple bars in the Valley that carried out celebrations of beer yesterday, as stated at http://internationalbeerday.com/.
]]>Since International Beer Day fell on a Thursday this year, the beer celebrations might carry out into the weekend. And while the various beer festivities might be a good excuse to get out of the house and party, it's still important to be aware of the state's laws involving excessive alcohol consumption, including Arizona's drunk driving laws.
When pounding mugs of beer at a local brewery, it's a good idea to designate a sober driver. Otherwise, call a taxi or take public transportation home. Even a first-time DUI conviction can cost a driver over $10,000 in fines, penalties, restitution, ignition interlock installation and maintenance, legal fees and increased insurance costs. The state of Arizona has some of the toughest drunk driving laws in the country, so it's also important to be aware of your legal rights when getting pulled over and when you become a DUI suspect. To learn more about driving under the influence laws and the legal protections of drivers, contact an Arizona DUI attorney in your area.
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