Defense for Fleeing Police in Arizona

Laws, Penalties, and Defense in Phoenix

According to Arizona Revised Statutes § 28-622.01, unlawful flight from a pursuing law enforcement vehicle is illegal and considered a class 5 felony. If you've been arrested for or charged with fleeing police, contact a defense attorney now.

According to Arizona Revised Statutes § 28-622.01,

A driver of a motor vehicle who willfully flees or attempts to elude a pursuing official law enforcement vehicle that is being operated in the manner described in section 28-624, subsection C is guilty of a class 5 felony. The law enforcement vehicle shall be appropriately marked to show that it is an official law enforcement vehicle.

In the state of Arizona, a class 5 felony is punishable by imprisonment and fines or both. The length of imprisonment and the amount of fines will differ from case to case depending on a number of variables.

This particular Arizona statute requires the police vehicle to be clearly marked in order to avoid confusion. The law enforcement vehicle should have lights flashing and a siren to indicate that you should stop. Fleeing police charges may only be pressed if law enforcement believes that the driver willfully and intentionally refrained from stopping their vehicle in order to elude law enforcement. It is not uncommon for a driver to panic in the event that law enforcement pulls them over. This is especially true in cases where the driver fears a DUI arrest if they stop their vehicle.

Related Offenses

It is common for fleeing police charges to be coupled with other criminal charges such as DUI, drug offenses or hit-and-run. If you notice that law enforcement is attempting to pull your vehicle over, you may be compelled to keep going because you fear you'll be arrested. Unfortunately, this only makes matters worse. If you've been drinking, for example, and you refuse to stop for law enforcement because you're afraid of a DUI arrest, you then put yourself at risk for DUI charges and fleeing police charges.

Potential Defenses Against Fleeing Police

There are actually many defenses against eluding police charges. For one, many fleeing police charges are coupled with traffic collisions. One possible defense in the event of an accident is that you were so disoriented after the accident that you were unaware of your need to stop. Some accidents are so minor that you may not even have known you were involved in one.

Fleeing law enforcement after an accident and fleeing law enforcement when they attempt to pull you over are different scenarios that require different lines of defense. The defense strategy your attorney will use will differ depending on the exact circumstances surrounding your arrest. This is why Knowles Law Firm, PLC values attention to detail as well as unique representation of each and every case.

Contact a Phoenix Lawyer for Fleeing Police Charges in Arizona

Willfully fleeing police is a class 5 felony offense. You may also be facing other criminal charges in conjunction with your eluding police charges. Don't face your felony alone and don't hire an attorney you do not trust. The attorney you choose to hire has a large impact on the outcome of your case. We encourage you to call and speak with a seasoned defense attorney at our Phoenix law firm today.