Yavapai County Superior Court Judge Faces Extreme DUI Charge
by
Aaron M. Black • March 23, 2023
A mistake in judgment can drastically change a life, which is what Yavapai County Superior Court Judge Cele Hancock is facing after her arrest on Sunday, March 19, for suspicion of an extreme or super extreme DUI, according to various news reports.Judge Handcock was allegedly observed intoxicated in a Prescott Safeway supermarket and was seen sitting in her car in the parking lot before driving away. She was stopped by authorities who were notified by someone in the store.
A breathalyzer test result showed she had a level of impairment at 0.158 percent initially, which continued to rise to 0.219 and 0.214 percent which is in the Super Extreme range. Extreme DUI begins at 0.15 percent. Super Extreme begins at 0.20 percent. A regular DUI is 0.08 percent.
The level of intoxication increases over time because of the body’s alcohol absorption rate and individual metabolism variables.
The judge has been charged with four DUIs;- Impaired to the slightest degree
- 0.08
- 0.15 Extreme DUI
- 0.20 Super Extreme DUI
These are Class 1 misdemeanors.
She was transported to the police station in Prescott and read her Miranda rights and she requested an attorney. She was cited and released.
In a remark to authorities, Judge Hancock said, “My career is already over,” reported AZ Family.
Judge Hancock was elected to her judgeship in 2010 and re-elected in 2014 and again in 2018 after a career as a solo practitioner.
Penalties for Extreme DUI
An extreme DUI is driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .15 -.199. The penalty for a first conviction is a minimum of 30 straight days in jail. The law allows the defendant convicted of an extreme DUI to spend a minimum of two days and seven days of home detention. The maximum sentence is 6 months. For any DUI a person can receive up to five years of probation.Fines and surcharges totaling approximately $2700 can be imposed. Alcohol counselling, classes, and screening. The interlock would be required for 12 months. There would be a license suspension of 90 days.
Super Extreme DUI penalties
A super extreme DUI is driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .20 and above. The penalty for a first conviction is a minimum of 45 straight days in jail. The law allows the defendant convicted of a super extreme DUI to spend a minimum of three days and 11 days of home detention. The maximum sentence is 6 months. For any DUI a person can receive up to five years of probation.Fines and surcharges totaling $3,218 can be imposed. Alcohol counselling, classes, and screening. The interlock would be required for 18 months. There would be a license suspension of 90 days.
Defenses for Super Extreme DUI
The law provides several defenses:- The arresting traffic officer did not have the required probable cause or a reasonable suspicion to detain a driver.
- The field sobriety tests, including standing on one foot, was not administered correctly by the traffic officer.
- The breathalyzer device to monitor the amount of alcohol in the body caused a faulty reading because the device’s calibration was inaccurate or the officer who administered the tests did not so properly.
- The level of intoxication increased after were stopped because of the body’s alcohol absorption rate and individual metabolism variables.
Aaron M. Black Law for DUI defense
Should you or someone you care for be charged or are under investigation for a DUI, it is imperative that you have an experienced DUI defense attorney such as myself to defend you at the earliest possible time. In my long career as a DUI defense attorney, I know that good people can find themselves in legal trouble and that is why I ensure they have the best defense possible.Aaron M. Black Law provides personalized legal services. You will always be talking directly to me at every stage of your DUI case.
Begin your DUI defense immediately by calling 480-729-1683 at any time on any day and I will respond promptly unless I am in court on at trial. Or use the online contact form on my website.
I defend Super Extreme DUI cases throughout Arizona, including Maricopa, Pinal, Yavapai, and Coconino County Superior Courts.
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.
Along with DUI defense, Aaron handles a range of other criminal defense matters, including aggravated assault, burglary, domestic violence, drug possession, drug trafficking, fraud defense, insurance fraud, sex crimes, and white-collar crime cases.
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 Attorney 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.
