AZ Drunk Driver Sentenced to Maximum in Death of Police Officer
A DUI turned fatal one day last year for a police officer acting in the line of duty. The man responsible for his death faced sentencing this week and was not given a lenient penalty.
On October 25th, 2008 Officer Shane Figueroa was responding to a shots fired call in his police cruiser. He may or may not have been speeding with his alert lights off. Regardless, he was hit by 50 year old Salvador Vivas-Diaz who crossed the center line.
Vivas-Diaz was driving an Isuzu pickup on that fateful night. Officer Figueroa was ejected from the passenger window of his cruiser and died at the scene.
Not a stranger to the law, this marked Vivas-Diaz’s his third arrest in the Valley though he had never been convicted. He was deported to his native Mexico but returned to Arizona where he had been living illegally.
He was found guilty and sentenced to 16 years in prison. One of the things that was taken into consideration during his sentencing was his blood alcohol level. The legal limit in Arizona is .08%. Vivas-Diaz’s BAC on the early morning of the accident was .24%, three times the legal limit.
Very few drunken driving incidences turn fatal. Although the potential is there, most end in an arrest and a simple DUI charge. For someone who has never been in the Arizona criminal courts, however, a DUI charge is anything but simple.
A first time DUI can carry 10 days to 6 months in jail, fines, community service, probation, license suspension, and the installation of an ignition interlock device. In many circumstances your jail sentence can be suspended. Discuss this with an attorney for further details.
As the number of DUI convictions on your record increases, so does the potential penalty. An “Extreme DUI” case can also elevate the penalty. This occurs when your blood alcohol content is found to be greater than .15% at the time of your arrest.
There are many factors that go into determining how you will be charged and the penalty you will face for a DUI. If you are up against charges like this, don’t hesitate in contacting a local and experienced DUI attorney. Call me today for a free consultation on your case.
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.