The penalties for DUI cases and other related crimes vary from state to state. In Arizona, the penalty largely depends on what type of DUI was charged, the gravity of the offense, and the criminal record of the accused person or the number of times that he or she has committed the same offense.
When the offender commits his first DUI offense and he has a blood alcohol content (BAC) higher than the limit of 0.08% in Arizona, the offender can be sentenced to ten consecutive days of jail time. Usually, alcohol screening, counseling and treatment are also given during these ten days of jail time. Aside from spending ten days in jail, the offender will also be fined with $1475, with an additional $250 geared towards the DUI abatement fund. The person’s driver’s license will also be suspended for three months, and the court may choose to put the offender on probation for a maximum of five years.
If the person commits his second DUI offense with the BAC higher than 0.08%, the offender may be given a jail sentence of 90 days, 60 of which will be allotted for alcohol screening, counseling, and treatment. The offender will be fined a higher amount of $2675, still with an additional $250 for the DUI abatement fund. The driver’s license of the person will also be revoked for a year, and the court may choose to put the person under probation for five years. The court can also forfeit the vehicle being used by the offender during the DUI incident.
There are extreme DUI cases in which the offender has a BAC of 0.15% of higher. During the person’s first offense, he or she may be subjected to 30 consecutive days of jail time, 20 days of which will be allotted for alcohol screening, counseling, and treatment. The fine is placed at $2225, with an additional $250 going to the DUI abatement fund. The driver’s license will be suspended for three months, and there will also be a probation period of five years.
In the second extreme DUI case, the jail term has increased to 120 days, half of which will be for substance and alcohol abuse screening, counseling, and treatment. The fine remains at $2225 with an additional $250 for the DUI abatement fund. Just like the first extreme DUI case, the offender’s driver’s license will also be revoked for three months, and the person will be under probation for a maximum of five years.
DUI becomes a felony when the accused driver is accompanied by a child under 15 years of age. The punishments are greater here, since the accused will be sentenced to a prison term ranging from 4 months to 2 years. The fine can be up to $150,000, plus the driver’s license can be revoked for up to three years. Because of this, you will need to find an Arizona DUI Attorney to handle your case. An experienced Phoenix DUI Attorney will be able to help you lessen decrease the severity of your sentence.
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