The State of Arizona has one of the harshest zero-tolerance policies for underage drinking. If any person under the age of 21 is found to have a BAC level above 00.00%, police may justly convict and arrest them. An underage individual does not even have to be driving or appear visibly impaired to be convicted of an Underage DUI. Mesa DUI Lawyer Charlie Naegle has seen this happen before. For instance, if your 20-year old son or daughter is in a parked car on the side of the road, but sitting in the driver’s seat of the vehicle, they are considered to have “actual physical control” of that vehicle (ARS§28-1381). If a police officer pulls over to check on them, and has probable cause to investigate or perform a breath test which produces any measurement above .01% BAC or higher, your child may be arrested for a Class 1 misdemeanor and face charges for driving under the influence. (While police may arrest on the grounds of probable cause, the judge and jury will consider all evidence of the given situation in court, including whether the ignition was on and if the individual was awake at the time of inspection, before pronouncing a verdict.) While the legal consequences may vary depending on the circumstances in which the underage individual was found, the consequences will undoubtedly be severe and impact your child’s future. Seeking out the legal expertise of Mesa DUI lawyer Charlie Naegle will give you the help you need to diminish or completely drop any charges your child will face.
The best way to avoid a difficult situation such as this is to educate your children on the dangers of underage drinking, binge drinking, and drinking and driving. Create an atmosphere where your children feel safe discussing these issues with you. If your child has been convicted of an Underage DUI, the best thing you can do for them is hire an experienced Gilbert DUI attorney who will aggressively and personally defend your child’s rights and freedoms in court. As a parent, it is perfectly understandable to feel disappointed, embarrassed by, and disapproving of your child’s actions. However, it is important to treat your child like your child, rather than as a criminal during this difficult time in their life. If your underage child has been arrested for DUI, they have probably experienced a traumatic and stressful series of events such as being publicly embarrassed, handcuffed, fingerprinted, sent to jail, and anxiously wondering what this means for their future. This kind of experience can have a very negative impact on their future mental, social, educational, and financial well being if they do not have the support of their family through the experience.
Mesa DUI Lawyer Charlie Naegle
For further help supporting a child who has been convicted of criminal activity, call Naegle & Crider Criminal Defense Attorneys to consult with a great Mesa DUI lawyer. Your free, anytime, anywhere consultation is just a phone call away!