It’s a rough life being a celebrity
You’ve had one too many drinks and get arrested for public intoxication, and now it becomes national news. These are the PR woes actor Shia LaBeouf has lived though. Several years ago LeBeouf was arrested during a Friday night in Texas for public intoxication. Police discovered him acting drunk in public. According to officers, being intoxicated was not the only issue that led to the arrest. LaBoeuf’s behavior was allegedly belligerent, uncooperative, and aggressive.
Is Public Drunkenness Really Legal in Arizona
It’s no surprise that if you act belligerent in public, especially toward a police officer, you will find yourself in some kind of legal trouble. Texas law makes it illegal to be drunk in public, but in 2014, the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled against laws banning public intoxication. Great news for those of us in Arizona; we can be as intoxicated as we like in public…right? Well not quite. The actual act of being under heavy influence of alcohol in public is not itself an offense but police officers have plenty to charge you for behaviors that come along with it. For example, being belligerent with your friends or to passers-by can result in a disorderly conduct charge. Aggressive behavior can lead to an arrest for assault or threatening and intimidating. Being uncooperative to police can land you in cuffs for resisting arrest or failure to obey a police officer.
Punish the Symptoms by using Constant Patrols
Arizona ruled that all of the above charges cover the bad behavior that goes along with public drunkenness. Particularly in Old Town Scottsdale and Mill Avenue in Tempe, police patrol for these issues on Friday and Saturday nights when the bars are starting to close. Even though you won’t get busted for public intoxication, it’s best to avoid the possibility of the other slew of charges. On the bright side, if you do get arrested, you probably will not be on TMZ the next day like Shia.
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.
