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Boating DUI – Operating Under The Influence

While boating DUIs are less common than driving DUI’s, because of the many lakes in Arizona, the lawyers at [Matthew Lopez Law, PLLC, have represented countless clients for operating a boat while under the influence of alcohol. Our law firm has found that most people who are arrested for OUI did not consume alcohol with the intent to become impaired. Generally, the boat operator is out on the lake all day, has received significant sun exposure and has not had much else to drink. Under these circumstances, it does not take much alcohol consumption for a person to become impaired.

What Police Look For In Boating DUI Cases

When Arizona Game and Fish or the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office are patrolling a lake, they are specifically looking for people to arrest for OUI. Most of our clients are pulled over for something very minor, such as creating a wake in a no-wake zone. The officers use this as a reason to get their foot in the door and begin a DUI investigation. While police officers will say they are trained in detecting impaired boat operators, in reality, they are just looking for alcohol on a boat or hoping the operator of the boat has the slightest odor of alcohol on their breath. If they observe either, they will begin a boating DUI investigation.

We Have The Experience To Challenge Your Charges

In our experience defending countless OUI cases, there are significant facts that we can challenge to get your case dismissed or reduced. The same investigatory tools that are used for DUI cases are not applicable or not as credible for boating DUI cases. As a civilian, you will not be able to get a dismissal on your own. The only way to get an operating under the influence charge dismissed is to hire an attorney who has studied the law, attended seminars on this subject and most importantly, has achieved dismissals for other clients with similar cases.

Do Not Let An OUI Arrest Sink Your Reputation

Do not let the police or justice system convince you that you made a mistake while boating. Our attorneys commonly find that police officers conduct incomplete OUI investigations in hopes they will not be challenged. We will absolutely challenge every aspect of your OUI case. We pride ourselves on our work ethic. Contact us to discuss the specifics of your operating under the influence case by calling 602-960-1731 or using our online contact form.