Felony DUI & Vehicular Assault

Colorado Lawyers & Attorneys for Serious Felony Driving Crimes - Alcohol or Drugs

The Evans Firm provides experienced, trial tested strategies and defenses to the most serious driving charges to produce extraordinary results and award winning client satisfaction.

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In August of 2015, Colorado made its DUI laws much tougher, and they just did it again in August of 2017. Now, anyone convicted of felony DUI must serve between 90 and 180 days in jail if they are granted probation for their sentence. People sentenced to work release will have to serve between 120 days and 2 years in jail. This changes the prior ‘exhaustion doctrine’ rule which required judges to weigh several factors and find the most effective sentence for the individual to be treated, resisting incarceration. The 'exhaustion doctrine' still exists - but is now geared toward a prison sentence in the Department of Corrections.

While most DUI related offenses are misdemeanors, things get more complicated when you have 'aggravators' like: car accidents involving property damage or personal injury, high B.A.C., or more than 3 prior convictions. These can turn into felony charges with prison time. Industry-recognized attorney Michael D. Evans has helped thousands of clients navigate these kinds of criminal charges and avoid the maximum penalties.

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We are ready to launch a robust defense strategy on your behalf, ensure that your voice is heard, and pursue every viable option avenue towards a dismissal or acquittal. When it counts, then there's only one choice.

Felony DUI

A person who drives a motor vehicle or vehicle under the influence of alcohol or one or more drugs, or a combination of both alcohol and one or more drugs, commits driving under the influence. Driving under the influence is a misdemeanor, but it is a class 4 felony if the violation occurred after three or more prior convictions, arising out of separate and distinct criminal episodes, for DUI, DUI per se, or DWAI; vehicular homicide, as described in section 18-3-106 (1) (b), C.R.S.; vehicular assault, as described in section 18-3-205 (1) (b), C.R.S.; or any combination thereof.

A person who drives a motor vehicle or vehicle while impaired by alcohol or by one or more drugs, or by a combination of alcohol and one or more drugs, commits driving while ability impaired. Driving while ability impaired is a misdemeanor, but it is a class 4 felony if the violation occurred after three or more prior convictions, arising out of separate and distinct criminal episodes, for DUI, DUI per se, or DWAI; vehicular homicide, as described in section 18-3-106 (1) (b), C.R.S.; vehicular assault, as described in section 18-3-205 (1) (b), C.R.S.; or any combination thereof.

For the purposes of this section, a person is deemed to have a prior conviction for DUI, DUI per se, or DWAI; vehicular homicide, as described in section 18-3-106 (1) (b), C.R.S.; or vehicular assault, as described in section 18-3-205 (1) (b), C.R.S., if the person has been convicted under the laws of this state or under the laws of any other state, the United States, or any territory subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, of an act that, if committed within this state, would constitute any of these offenses. The prosecution shall set forth such prior convictions in the indictment or information.

If a defendant is convicted of a class 4 felony pursuant to this section, the court shall sentence the person in accordance with the provisions of section 18-1.3-401, C.R.S. (A presumptive range of 2 - 6 years prison). As of August 2017, there is now a mandatory minimum of 90 days to 180 days jail for all felony DUI offenses.

Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (k), before the imposition of any sentence to the department of corrections for a felony DUI, DUI per se, or DWAI offense, at sentencing or at re sentencing after a revocation of probation or a community corrections sentence, the court shall consider all the factors described in sub-subparagraph (B) of this subparagraph (II).

If the court sentences the defendant to the department of corrections for a felony DUI, DUI per se, or DWAI offense, it must determine that incarceration is the most suitable option given the facts and circumstances of the case, including the defendant's willingness to participate in treatment. Additionally, the court shall consider whether all other reasonable and appropriate sanctions and responses to the violation that are available to the court have been exhausted, do not appear likely to be successful if tried, or present an unacceptable risk to public safety.

See charges and penalties page for sentencing range.

Vehicular Assault

If a person operates or drives a motor vehicle in a reckless manner, and this conduct is the proximate cause of serious bodily injury to another, such person commits vehicular assault.

If a person operates or drives a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or one or more drugs, or a combination of both alcohol and one or more drugs, and this conduct is the proximate cause of a serious bodily injury to another, such person commits vehicular assault. This is a strict liability crime.

Vehicular assault, in violation of paragraph (a) of this subsection (1), is a class 5 felony. Vehicular assault, in violation of paragraph (b) of this subsection (1), is a class 4 felony.

If there was at such time 0.05 or less grams of alcohol per one hundred milliliters of blood, or if there was at such time 0.05 or less grams of alcohol per two hundred ten liters of breath, it shall be presumed that the defendant was not under the influence of alcohol.

If there was at such time in excess of 0.05 but less than 0.08 grams of alcohol per one hundred milliliters of blood, or if there was at such time in excess of 0.05 but less than 0.08 grams of alcohol per two hundred ten liters of breath, such fact may be considered with other competent evidence in determining whether or not the defendant was under the influence of alcohol.

If there was at such time 0.08 or more grams of alcohol per one hundred milliliters of blood, or if there was at such time 0.08 or more grams of alcohol per two hundred ten liters of breath, such fact gives rise to the permissible inference that the defendant was under the influence of alcohol.

If at such time the driver's blood contained five nanograms or more of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol per milliliter in whole blood, as shown by analysis of the defendant's blood, such fact gives rise to a permissible inference that the defendant was under the influence of one or more drugs.