Ex-Lawyer in Scottsdale, AZ Fatal DUI Case Sentenced
by
Aaron Black • December 26, 2018
Former business attorney Tracy Morehouse was sentenced to 10½ years in state prison to be followed with five years of probation for causing the August 2017 death of a man while driving intoxicated with a blood alcohol level (BAC) of 0.335, more than four times the legal limit.Morehouse, 47, in November plead guilty to second degree murder, two counts of endangerment, and one count of leaving the scene of a crash. After hitting a first vehicle, Morehouse sped away on Scottsdale Road and traveling at 84 mph, according to investigators, struck Greg Dolphin, 45, who was stopped on his motorcycle for a red light at Scottsdale Road and Princess Drive.
At her sentencing on Dec. 17, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge David Cunanan heard statements from the slain man’s wife, Saima, who also read a written statement from the slain man’s 7-year old daughter, one of their two children.
“He was a great man,” the girl wrote. “I wish this never happened. I thought this would never happen. He was the best dad ever.”
Mrs. Dolphin told Judge Cunanan that “it’s hard for me to explain to them what death is, my kids do not understand. I’ve lost the co-parent that was helping me raise the children. The children have lost the guide that they were going to get, the guidance and the love that they're deprived of now."
At the sentencing Morehouse said that she has an issue with alcohol addiction and spoke of the struggle she’s had living with her alcohol abuse problem to the point of seeking help by going to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
Morehouse’s sentence is six months longer than Arizona Revised Statute §13-710’s minimum punishment level for second degree murder, compared to the 25-year maximum sentence.
Morehouse’s BAC level was higher than the 0.31 BAC that the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism says can be life-threatening alcohol poisoning or losing consciousness.
The Arizona Bar Association has disbarred her.
About the Author
Aaron Black is the founder and sole attorney of the Law Office of Aaron Black. Located in Phoenix, Arizona, his DUI and criminal defense law firm provides legal services to people who have received felony or misdemeanor charges from the state.
Aaron has developed a strong interest in defending people who have been arrested and received criminal charges for driving under the influence. With his professionalism and knowledge of Arizona DUI and criminal law, he has acted as a check and balance on the police, prosecution and courts and has protected a great number of his clients from excessive and unfair sentencing.Along with DUI defense, Aaron handles a range of other criminal matters, including aggravated assault, burglary, domestic violence, drug possession, drug trafficking, fraud defense, insurance fraud, sex crimes and white-collar crime.
After graduating college in 2003 from the University of Arizona, Aaron decided to pursue a law degree. He followed a family long tradition and went to the University of South Dakota School of Law where he pursued his goal of becoming a criminal defense lawyer.
After passing the Arizona and South Dakota bar exams, Aaron joined the Maricopa County Office of the Public Defender where he defended hundreds of people charged with serious criminal offenses. His work as a public defender helped him sharpen his litigation skills and gave him a unique insight into the Arizona criminal justice system.
Over the course of his 15-year legal career, Aaron has spent a considerable amount of time in both Arizona justice, municipal, state and federal courts. He has argued over 50 jury trials, tried over 100 bench trials and has become one of the highest-rated criminal and DUI defense attorneys in Phoenix and the surrounding areas. He has received a 10/10 rating from the legal directory Avvo because of his legal background and successful case record. Since 2014, he has received the Super Lawyer rating for his work as a Phoenix DUI and criminal defense attorney.
You can review Aaron’s Attorney Bio page for more information about his background, education and experience as a Phoenix DUI and criminal defense attorney.
