With summer quickly approaching, people are getting their boats ready to hit the lakes. Our office represents people charged with boating DUIs throughout Arizona. This includes Lake Pleasant, Bartlett Lake, Canyon Lake, Roosevelt, Parker, Bullhead City, Saguaro Lake and Lake Havasu.
Boating DUIs are very similar to regular DUI the only thing that differs are the consequences. Similar to a traditional DUI, it is against the law to operate a boat with a blood alcohol content greater than .08. Unlike regular DUIs there is only one category of a boating DUI. The law does not provide for extreme or super extreme boating DUIs. That said, a boating DUI is a class one misdemeanor. Class one misdemeanors have a maximum penalty of up to six months in jail. While there may not be certain levels of boating DUIs, depending on a person’s blood alcohol level, the prosecutor can and will request additional jail time. I have seen prosecutors request several weeks of jail if a blood alcohol content is high.
Boating DUI
Unlike traditional DUIs there are no driver license consequences associated with boating DUIs, including no requirements for a breathalyzer.
Although there are many similarities between a boating DUI and a driving DUI, the approach we take in defending clients is significantly different. We have a strategy in place for boating DUIs and a separate strategy for driving DUIs. In either event, our strategies are incredibly effective.
If you’ve been charged with a boating DUI anywhere in Arizona let’s get started as soon as possible. Preserving the State’s evidence is critical. If this was a blood case, the longer we wait to retest the blood more issues we will run into with the state arguing the accuracy and reliability of our retest. If this was a breath case, we have found that the breath analysis instruments are incredibly inaccurate and most often not calibrated properly. It takes a trained attorney to flesh out these issues. If you’ve been charged with a boating DUI call us immediately at 602-926-8902 or view our vlog https://youtu.be/cMvlEy3jzZE
Author Bio
Matthew L. Lopez
Matthew L. Lopez is the Managing Attorney and founder of Matthew Lopez Law, a criminal defense and DUI firm serving clients throughout Arizona. His track record of case dismissals and charge reductions has earned him honors, including a National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 nomination, a “Superb” 10/10 Avvo rating, and a Rising Star designation by Super Lawyers.
Matthew is a member of the National College for DUI Defense and holds active memberships with the Arizona Association for Criminal Justice and the Arizona Association for Justice. His firm handles criminal defense, DUI, drug charges, and traffic offenses, offering free consultations and affordable payment plans to make quality defense accessible to all Arizonans.
