EXTREME DUI LEGAL REPRESENTATION
WHAT IS EXTREME DUI IN ARIZONA?
EXPERIENCED ARIZONA DUI ATTORNEYS FOR EXTREME DUI ARRESTS
Extreme DUI is the charge for a defendant who is charged with driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.14-0.199. BAC levels can depend on the driver’s height, sex, weight, age, medication, the number and type of drinks consumed, and the time period over which they were consumed. For many people, four or five drinks over the course of a few hours is enough to constitute an Extreme DUI.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REGULAR DUI AND EXTREME DUI IN ARIZONA
A Regular DUI is the charge for a driver whose BAC was between .08 and .149 at the time of arrest. The minimum standard penalties, e.g., fines and jail time, are higher for those charged with Extreme DUI. Judges are less likely to be lenient with drivers arrested with high BACs.
Once the Extreme BAC limit is reached in a DUI arrest, the driver’s vehicle will be impounded for 30 days. To retrieve the vehicle at the end of the 30 days, the driver must pay a $150 administrative fee as well as $15 per day in storage fees. If the driver doesn’t pick up the vehicle within 10 days, the tow lot may file for an abandonment title to the vehicle.
WHAT MAKES A DUI AN “EXTREME DUI”?
EXPERIENCED DUI ATTORNEYS WITH KNOWLEDGE OF THE ARIZONA DUI LAW
Arizona DUI laws recognize that the risk of an accident increases along with a driver’s BAC. That’s why the standard DUI penalties are harsher once the driver hits the range of about twice the legal limit.
Besides the mandatory 30 day vehicle impound, one of the additional downsides of an Extreme DUI conviction is how jail time is sentenced. For a standard DUI, the minimum jail sentence is 10 days, but 9 of those days can be suspended for an alternative like parole or house arrest. An Extreme DUI conviction doesn’t allow for the possibility of suspension of jail time.
WHAT MAKES A DUI A “SUPER EXTREME DUI”?
FREE CASE EVALUATION AND CONSULTATION WITH AN EXPERIENCED AZ DUI LAWYER
A Super Extreme DUI is the charge that drivers with a BAC of .20 or higher at the time of arrest will face. Just as the penalties are harsher for Extreme DUI than Standard DUI, the penalties for Super Extreme DUI are further increased.
The minimum punishments don’t increase dramatically between an Extreme DUI and a Super Extreme DUI. However, the judge is more likely to opt for stricter penalties the higher the driver’s BAC at the time of arrest.
FAQ’S FOR EXTREME ARIZONA DUI’S
ANSWER:
Extreme DUI is the charge a driver will receive after being arrested for driving with a BAC between .15 and .199.
ANSWER:
An aggravated DUI is an upgraded felony charge the driver will receive if one (or more) of the following conditions are met:
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There is a passenger younger than the age of 15 in the vehicle (Class 6 felony)
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The driver has a suspended, revoked, or restricted driver’s license (Class 4 felony)
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The driver’s vehicle currently has an ignition interlock device installed (Class 4 felony)
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This is the driver’s third DUI arrest in an 84 month (7 year) period (Class 4 felony)
ANSWER:
If you are stopped for suspicion of DUI, you will be required to provide your driver’s license, so the officer should quickly find out your license is suspended. If you are arrested for DUI, your charges will be upgraded to a felony because the arrest occurred while your license was suspended.
ANSWER:
In Arizona, the BAC for a standard DUI is .08. However, you may be charged with a DUI with impairment to the slightest degree if you are arrested with a BAC of .04-.079.
ANSWER:
Even if this is your first offense, you will face a minimum of 30 days in jail after an Extreme DUI arrest. The minimum fine will be $2,500, and you will spend thousands more in court costs, assessments, drug and alcohol screening, restitution, your ignition interlock device, MVD fees, vehicle impound fees, and SR-22 insurance coverage.
ANSWER:
If convicted of Extreme DUI in Arizona, your minimum jail sentence will be 30 days. The judge may use their discretion to order an even longer sentence based on your criminal record, conduct, etc.
ANSWER:
Field Sobriety Tests are methods police officers use to assess your sobriety before proceeding to breath and chemical testing. Common examples of field sobriety tests are walking in a straight line, standing on one foot, and following a light the officer shines in your eyes.
ANSWER:
You may have a disability or injury, or the weather and road conditions may cause you to appear intoxicated during a field sobriety test. Therefore, you should know that you can refuse to take field sobriety tests without any additional penalties. However, refusal to submit to breath, blood, and urine testing will result in an automatic one year suspension of your driver’s license.
ANSWER:
You should calmly and politely comply with the officer’s request for your driver’s license, registration, and insurance information, but you don’t have to answer any other questions without the advice of an attorney. Don’t admit to what you have consumed or what you were doing if you have been drinking. You can articulate why you are refusing a field sobriety test to the officer, but should submit to chemical testing if you are placed under arrest. Your license will automatically be suspended for a year, and the officer will be able to get a warrant to test your blood either way. Avoid making any further statements until you have an attorney present.
ANSWER:
You have the right to a court-appointed public defender if you can’t afford an attorney, but you may be ordered to reimburse the state for some of the fees if you can. You will also have the option to hire your own private criminal defense attorney. Your attorney will work to find, preserve, and challenge the admissibility of the evidence in your case, and may raise defenses based on probable cause and lack of reasonable suspicion. Experienced DUI attorneys have working relationships with the prosecution and may be able to leverage a favorable (read: no jail time) plea bargain for you. You don’t need to leave your fate in the hands of an overworked government employee. Call to see the difference an expert private DUI attorney can make with your free consultation today!
EXTREME DUI CONSEQUENCESIN ARIZONA (1ST OFFENSE)
DON’T LET A DUI IN ARIZONA RUIN YOUR LIFE.
The minimum jail sentence for a first offense Extreme DUI in Arizona is 30 days. The base fine for this offense is $2,500. Drivers convicted of Extreme DUI will be required to complete alcohol screening, testing, and counseling. They will be required to complete community service, usually a minimum of 30 hours. An Extreme DUI conviction comes with one year of mandatory ignition interlock use.
Both first and subsequent Extreme DUI convictions can come with additional penalties. For example, the driver may be required to obtain and maintain SR-22 (high risk) driver’s insurance for up to three years. This insurance coverage costs Arizona drivers, on average, about $1,500 more per year. The driver will also likely need to take defensive driving classes.
EXTREME DUI CONSEQUENCES IN ARIZONA (2ND OFFENSE)
ARIZONA HAS SEVERE PENALTIES FOR A DUI CONVICTION THAT COULD AFFECT ALL ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE.
The minimum jail sentence for a second offense Extreme DUI in Arizona is 120 days, or 4 months. The minimum fine is $3,250. As with the first offense, the driver will be required to complete alcohol screening and counseling as well as community service, but likely need to complete more hours than the previous conviction.
After a second Extreme DUI, the driver’s license will be revoked for at least one year. This is not to be confused with a license suspension like with a first arrest. It is more difficult to get your license back after it has been revoked, and you will need to argue why you deserve to have a driver’s license again at a hearing.
EXTREME DUI CONSEQUENCES IN ARIZONA (3RD OFFENSE)
The minimum penalties remain the same for all Extreme DUI arrests after the first. However, the judge will be more likely to sentence on the harsher side of their guidelines for a third arrest.
It should be noted that if you receive your 3rd DUI within 84 months of your first, your charges will be increased from a misdemeanor to a felony. This means time in prison, higher fines, the loss of your civil rights, and lifelong struggles to find housing, employment, and other opportunities.
