We warned you that Arizona authorities were going to be out in full force over the holidays to deter drunk drivers. If you were caught by the several DUI task forces operating over New Year's weekend, one of the worst things you could have done was run. Take our word, and the examples of two Prescott Valley men, for it.
Both men were booked into Yavapai County jail on DUI and felony unlawful flight charges stemming from separate incidences in which they tried to flee from a DUI task force operating in the county, reports The Daily Courier.
Scott Daniel Matheson was arrested on Friday, Dec. 30 on four counts of DUI and extreme DUI, one count of felony unlawful flight from law enforcement, and two felony counts of endangerment. He reportedly had a blood-alcohol level of 0.306 percent, nearly four times the legal limit.
Police tracked down the twenty-seven-year-old after he allegedly forced an unmarked patrol vehicle off Robert Road. Matheson reportedly fled after the officers turned on their emergency lights and siren, but officers were able to track him down through his license plate number.
Officers arrested 42-year-old David Michael Roach on New Year's Eve after he tried to evade them when they attempted to pull him over for a traffic offense. Roach reportedly had a blood-alcohol level of 0.222 percent. Roach was booked into jail on charges of felony unlawful flight and four counts of DUI.
Both men's actions demonstrate the danger and futility of trying to evade the police once you are caught.
"These situations were made worse when the drivers did not stop for law enforcement, increasing the severity to felony charges," said Prescott Valley Police Sgt. Brandon Bonney.
Unlawful flight from a pursuing official law enforcement vehicle is a class 5 felony, which is punishable by a minimum of nine months in prison.
If you are pulled over by police on suspicion of DUI, you should comply with their orders. It's a better idea to fight the charges in court with the assistance of an experienced DUI attorney than to try to outrun the law.
Related Resources:
- Find a Phoenix DUI Attorney (FindLaw)
- Holiday DUI Task Force Nets 17 Impaired Drivers (Prescott Valley Tribune)
- Arizona DUI Laws (FindLaw)
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