Tucson DUI Attorney

Accused of a DUI? Aggressively Defending You in Pima County & Across Arizona

Being arrested for a DUI is commonly an intimidating experience in which your future hangs in the balance. You may believe you have no chance against the State when charged with DUI, but this is not true. Any alleged offense can be defended against, and DUIs are no different. Many aspects of these charges can be investigated and explored for flaws, including improper police procedures, faulty testing protocols and equipment, and more.

Choose Our Tuscon DUI Attorney

Even though DUI is a severe offense, any case may lead to charges being dropped, reduced, or disproven in court. However, you will need an attorney who is committed to thoroughly investigating your case and who knows what to look for in uncovering flaws and mistakes that undermine the prosecution’s case. At Alatorre Law, you can turn to an experienced professional with more than 17 years of experience investigating charges, building defense strategies, and working vigorously on behalf of clients.

DUI In Arizona

Arizona DUI Laws

In Arizona, as well as across the nation, you are legally drunk and therefore in violation of the law, if your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) measures .08 percent or higher. You can also be arrested for DUI with a BAC lower than this if you show signs of being impaired to the slightest degree. Furthermore, you can be arrested even if your car was not in motion but you were in “physical control” of it. Juries decide this by looking at all of the circumstances involved, such as whether your engine was running, your keys were in the ignition, and more.

CALL US TODAY

Your first step in fighting a DUI is to put a seasoned and knowledgeable defense attorney on your side as soon as possible. You can do that by contacting Alatorre Law to discuss the details of your DUI arrest and find out what we can do in your defense.

Arizona DUI Penalties

First DUI Offense

First-offense DUI with a BAC of 0.08 percent or more carries the following penalties:

▪ Mandatory jail time, from 1 day to six months in jail.
▪ Fines of up to $2,500 plus surcharges
▪ Two financial assessments totaling $1,000
▪ Alcohol screening, education, or treatment
▪ Community service
▪ Mandatory certified ignition interlock device installed in your vehicle
▪ 90-day license suspension

Extreme DUI – AZ

Arizona also has an “extreme” DUI statute that provides higher penalties depending on the driver’s BAC. A DUI with a BAC of 0.15 percent up to .199 percent carries a minimum sentence of 30 consecutive days in jail. A DUI with a BAC of .20 percent or more requires a minimum sentence of 45 consecutive days in jail. The financial assessments for these offenses total $2,000, and they are added to your total fine and surcharges.

Required ignition interlock devices must be installed over your car’s ignition; these devices are similar to breathalyzers that you must blow into to measure your BAC every time you drive. You will be required to pay for the installation and maintenance of such a device when convicted of DUI.

DUI Felony

A DUI may be charged as a felony in the following circumstances:

1. Commission of a DUI while your license was suspended due to a prior DUI conviction.
2. Any third or subsequent DUI conviction within seven years.
3. Committing a DUI offense while a person under 15 years of age is in the vehicle.
4. Committing a DUI offense when you are required to have an ignition interlock on any vehicle you operate.
5. Committing a DUI offense while driving the wrong way on a highway.

License Suspensions

Your license will automatically be suspended when charged with a DUI unless you request a hearing with the Motor Vehicle Division to contest it. At the hearing, you will have the chance to present your case in defense of retaining your license. Our DUI attorney can represent you at the hearing to challenge the loss of your license with a well-prepared strategy.