Misdemeanor DUIs and Endangerment Charges.
I was in court this morning representing a client for a misdemeanor DUI and a class 6 felony Endangerment Charge. According to Arizona Revised Statute 13-1201, a person commits Endangerment by “recklessly endangering another person with a substantial risk of imminent death of physical injury.” My client was charged with Endangerment because she hit a vehicle while she was allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol. An Endangerment charge by itself carries a presumptive sentence of one year in prison. There are certain circumstances in which an Endangerment charge can be designated as “Dangerous.” According to statute, a charge can be designated as “Dangerous” if the offense involved the discharge, use or threatening exhibition of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument or the intentional or knowing infliction of serious physical injury on another person.
In my client’s case, the prosecutor wanted to designated her Endangerment charge as Dangerous. If my client had been convicted of a Dangerous Endangerment charge, the presumptive sentence would go up to 2.25 years in prison.
As one of the area’s premier criminal defense attorneys who handles several Felony DUI and Endangerment cases, I was able to negotiate a deal with the prosecutor whereby my client could serve 9 days in jail for the Super Extreme DUI, not serve a jail sentence for the Endangerment charge, and not have the Endangerment charge designated as Dangerous.
This was an incredible victory for my client and can be used to illustrate the importance of hiring a Phoenix criminal defense attorney to defend your Endangerment or Felony DUI case.
My office is available 24-7 to discuss cases for free! Call us at 602-926-8902.
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.
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Practice areas
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Tempe
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Lake Havasu City
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Apache Junction
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Parker