What You Should Know About Drunk Driving Cases That Involve Auto Accidents

When you or someone that you care about is involved in a drunk driving arrest, it can be a very taxing time. This is why it’s so important to seek legal assistance. DUI attorneys will provide you with strong counsel and peace of mind, helping you make sound decisions about all of your legal options. This will be especially crucial if the drunk driving arrest involves a motor vehicle collision or any kind of injury accident. Let’s take a brief moment to consider these kinds of accidents right now.

Auto Accidents Caused by Drunk Driving

Drunk driving always has to be taken seriously. According to the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility, there were 31,263 drunk driving arrests in the state of Arizona in 2012. There were a total of 227 alcohol-related driving fatalities in that year.

According to numbers from Mothers Against Drunk Driving, there were 5,428 alcohol-related car crashes in 2012, 3,720 of which resulted in injuries. Given these numbers, you can understand why law enforcement is very stringent with such matters.

Aggravated DUI/Felony DUI

If you are driving under the influence and cause an auto accident to occur with another motorist, a bicyclist, or a pedestrian, you will be charged with an Aggravated DUI (aka Felony DUI). An Aggravated DUI charge is far more serious than a regular DUI charge simply given the circumstances of the incident and the arrest.

Your blood alcohol concentration will also determine if you are charged with an extreme DUI (BAC of 0.15 to 0.19) or a super extreme DUI (BAC of 0.2 or greater).

Penalties for Aggravated DUI/Felony DUI

The penalties for a Felony DUI are harsh. An Aggravated DUI is a Class 4 Felony, which means that those arrested for an Aggravated DUI can face between 1.5 to 3 years of prison and pay fines of up to $150,000. Repeat DUI offenses or other charges may add to these penalties, which is why getting legal representation on your side will be critical.

In addition to jail time and the fines associated with the Aggravated DUI charge, you can also expect the following additional penalties:

• Revocation of your driver’s license for at least three years
• Probation for up to five years
• Mandatory community service
• Mandatory traffic school
• Mandatory drug/alcohol screening or counseling
• Installation of an ignition interlock device
• Points on your driving record
• Felony conviction on your criminal record

How Our Legal Team Can Help You

It’s important that those arrested of an Aggravated DUI/Felony DUI get a skilled criminal defense attorney on their side. A DUI defense lawyer will make sure that you receive a fair shake from the law, going over all evidence and ensuring that the legal system works as designed. Your attorney will look into ways of reducing the penalties that you face, making bargains on your behalf while also advising you on your legal options going forward.

Do not make a mistake and attempt go it alone, especially when facing such dire charges. You need the team at the Law Office of James E. Novak on your side.

Learn More About Your Legal Options

If you or someone you love has been involved in a drunk driving auto accident of any kind, it’s of the utmost importance that you contact our Tempe, Arizona DUI defense lawyers today. The team at the Law Office of James E. Novak can help you in your time of legal need and ensure that our system works fairly for you.