When out-of-state drivers come through the Grand Canyon state, they might be surprised by Arizona's harsh DUI laws. Recently 26-year-old Charles Burkdoll from Concord, California was arrested for DUI and possession of drugs, according to AZ Family. Now, he'll likely need a skilled Arizona DUI attorney in order to get the best defense possible for the charges.
Mr. Burkdoll has quite an interesting DUI arrest story. It involves law enforcers giving the man medical aid before he was arrested. A deputy pulled over Mr. Burkdoll in his vehicle on St. Patrick's Day for speeding along U.S. Highway 93 near Wickenburg. A sheriff's spokesperson told AZ Family that Mr. Burkdoll admitted to smoking marijuana and snorting cocaine prior to driving. Mr. Burkdoll also told the deputy that he had to sit down because he was "spinning." After standing up, he passed out on the road and lost consciousness.
After a vehicle inspection, the deputy recovered cocaine and marijuana. In addition to arresting Mr. Burkdoll, the deputy also arrested 33-year-old Marjorie Calvin, who was a passenger in the vehicle, on drug charges.
It's a well-known fact that Arizona has stricter DUI laws that it's neighboring state of California. However, FindLaw states that even with drug possession laws, the Grand Canyon state has it worse. For example, possession of marijuana in California is treated as either a misdemeanor or infraction, depending on the amount of marijuana that the defendant possesses. But in Arizona, even possession of the smallest amount of marijuana can be a felony charge. In Mr. Burkdoll's case, he'll need an AZ DUI attorney that is familiar with the specific drug and DUI laws of Arizona.
Related Resources:
- Drug Possession (FindLaw)
- California Drunk Driving Laws and Out-of-State Drivers (FindLaw KnowledgeBase)
- Look Through Arizona DUI Attorney Directory (FindLaw)
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