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A DUI is a serious offense with serious consequences in Scottsdale, Arizona. But if an accident occurs due to a DUI and someone is injured or killed, what could have been a class 1 misdemeanor DUI charge can be charged as a felony. While the DUI itself would likely be considered a misdemeanor. Depending on the circumstances, the State could bring felony charges including Endangerment, Aggravated Assault, Manslaughter, or Second-Degree Murder.
If you are arrested or charged with a DUI and an accident was involved in Scottsdale, Arizona, you must immediately contact an experienced DUI defense attorney to protect your rights and freedom even if you were only cited for the DUI on the date of the incident. And you are unaware of any injuries or the extent of Injury; the future could bring felony charges.
Early on in your case, hiring a defense attorney will help protect your future and your freedom—early intervention is crucial. Retaining an attorney early on greatly assists in ensuring that your case is thoroughly investigated and can work with you on building a defense on your behalf against the State’s charges. Contact the Rosenstein Law Group at 480-248-7666 or online to schedule a free consultation and preliminary case evaluation.
An impaired driver in Scottsdale who causes an accident can face much more severe charges than a regular DUI. The type of charges that the impaired driver may face varying depending on the severity of the accident caused. If convicted, the penalties for DUI causing an accident include the following:
Suppose you were charged with a DUI that caused an injury to another. In that case, the severity of your penalties is even greater than mentioned above. Depending on the severity of the injuries caused, you could be charged with Endangerment, Aggravated Assault, or Vehicular Manslaughter. A DUI arrest that included serious physical Injury or death will result in felony charges. The penalties if convicted of any of these charges include the following:
A DUI with an injury or involving an accident isn’t the end of your life or even the end of your driving privileges. There are many significant hurdles to face after a charge of accident DUI causing Injury. At the Rosenstein Law Group, our Scottsdale DUI defense attorneys work the case to build a solid defense to fight your charges and prepare mitigation to lower the charges or outright get them dismissed possibly.
As mentioned above, with any DUI charge, whether it’s your first or third, there is a jail sentence required by law. A DUI defense attorney from our firm is experienced at negotiating lesser charges, resulting in less jail time or no jail at all.
Part of the negotiation process a DUI attorney can make for you may include a smaller fine. Fines, fees, and criminal restitution payments in cases involving accidents are a financial burden regardless of income level. The attorneys at the Rosenstein Law Group may be able to negotiate lower fines and fees.
When Ordered by a court to pay fines and fees, it is possible to set up a feasible payment arrangement based on your financial situation. It may take years to pay for everything. Our attorneys can assist you with getting this process set up.
An attorney from our practice may be able to get you to work privileges so that you may commute back and forth from work despite your driver’s license suspension. Specific criteria must occur, and a DUI attorney knows them and will determine if this is possible in your situation.
Especially if this was your first offense, your attorney at the Rosenstein Law Group might be able to secure a beneficial plea bargain. This means that you agree to plead guilty in exchange for the State, making you an offer to plead to a lesser charge, which would necessarily involve less incarceration time, fines and fees, or other collateral consequences.
Police officers use many techniques to establish probable cause for a DUI arrest. A frequent tool used on the roadway side is asking the driver to perform field sobriety tests—or roadside agility tests. There’s no real benefit for consenting to perform these tests. An officer asking you to stand on one leg or walk a straight line has most likely already made up his mind that you will be arrested for DUI. The officer is looking for instances where you fail to follow a slew of instructions. Including asking the officer to repeat the instructions (i.e., you could not understand the first time) or making any small mistake or deviation to the way, the officer said to perform the test. The officer is not likely to make any mention of you doing a spectacular job of standing on one foot, walking a straight line, or staring successfully at his penlight while moving it from one side of your head to the other. These tests are intended to give the officer an articulable reason for deciding to make an arrest that will hold up in court. The key is whether the officer’s observations will hold up under scrutiny in court.
The attorneys at the Rosenstein Law Group are experienced at challenging the reported results of field sobriety tests.
If you’ve been charged with a DUI that resulted in an accident or someone was injured or worse, contact the Rosenstein Law Group today. Speak to one of our highly skilled Scottsdale DUI attorneys as soon as possible. We offer free DUI case evaluations and can be reached 24/7. Contact our office online here or call (480) 248-7666.