State v. Superior Court of State

945 P.2d 1334, 190 Ariz. 203, 254 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 14, 1997 Ariz. App. LEXIS 183
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedOctober 14, 1997
Docket1 CA-SA 97-0141
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 945 P.2d 1334 (State v. Superior Court of State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Superior Court of State, 945 P.2d 1334, 190 Ariz. 203, 254 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 14, 1997 Ariz. App. LEXIS 183 (Ark. Ct. App. 1997).

Opinion

OPINION

EHRLICH, Presiding Judge.

John L. Bryant and Richard L. Sanchez asked us to review by special action the trial court’s rejection of their plea agreements. The Navajo County Attorney joined their petition. By previous order, we accepted jurisdiction. The Arizona Attorney General then filed a brief addressing the issues raised by the petitioners upon further order of this court. We now decide two issues: Whether attempted aggravated driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs (“DUI”) is a cognizable offense and, if so, whether Ariz.Rev.Stat. Ann. (“A.R.S.”) section 28-692(0(1) (Supp.1996) prohibits the state from entering an agreement with a defendant to plead guilty to that offense. For the reasons discussed below, we conclude that a person may plead guilty to attempted aggravated DUI and we therefore grant the relief sought by the petitioners.

*205 DISCUSSION

This case stems from the trial court’s refusal to accept proffered plea agreements between Bryant and Sanchez, respectively, and the Navajo County Attorney. Each agreement provided that the named defendant would plead guilty to an amended charge of attempted aggravated DUI, a class 5 felony, pursuant to A.R.S. sections 28-697 (Supp.1996), 28-692(A)(2) (1996 Supp.) and 13-110 (1989). The court rejected the agreements for two reasons: Attempted aggravated DUI is not an offense recognized under Arizona law and the state is prohibited from dismissing a DUI charge in return for a plea of guilty to any other offense. This special action followed.

A Special-action Jurisdiction

We accepted jurisdiction because there is no remedy by appeal, Ariz. R.P. Spec. Actions 1, and “to correct a plain and obvious error committed by the trial court.” E.g., State ex rel. Romley v. Superior Court, 184 Ariz. 409, 410, 909 P.2d 476, 477 (App. 1995). This case additionally is appropriate for special-action jurisdiction because our opinion resolves a purely legal question of statewide significance. E.g., Lee v. Superior Court, 173 Ariz. 120, 121, 840 P.2d 296, 297 (App.1992).

B. Attempted Aggravated DUI

The state may obtain a conviction for an attempted offense although it could prove the completion of the offense. A.R.S. § 13-110; State v. Sanchez, 174 Ariz. 44, 45, 846 P.2d 857, 858 (App.1993). Obviously, the attempted offense also “must be cognizable under Arizona law,” id. at 45-46, 846 P.2d at 858-59, and, indeed, “an ‘attempt’ is generally recognized as being part of the completed offense.” State v. Lammie, 164 Ariz. 377, 379, 793 P.2d 134, 136 (App.1990).

The offense of DUI is defined in A.R.S. section 28-692:

A. It is unlawful for any person to drive or be in actual physical control of any vehicle within this state under any of the following circumstances:
1. While under the influence of intoxicating liquor, [or] any drug ... if the person is impaired to the slightest degree.

Although the phrase “actual physical control” was not defined by the legislature, it has been held to apply in certain situations to a person who, at the time, was not “driving or otherwise putting a vehicle in motion.” State v. Love, 182 Ariz. 324, 326, 897 P.2d 626, 628 (1995). Compare State v. Webb, 78 Ariz. 8, 274 P.2d 338 (1954) (defendant guilty of DUI when found asleep inside a truck which was stopped in a traffic lane with its engine running) with State v. Zavala, 136 Ariz. 356, 666 P.2d 456 (1983) (defendant not guilty of DUI when found asleep inside truck which was stopped in an emergency lane with key in ignition but engine not running). The question whether the defendant was in “actual physical control” is one to be decided by the fact-finder based upon the totality of the circumstances surrounding the incident. Id. at 326-28, 897 P.2d at 628-30.

A person is guilty of aggravated DUI in accordance with A.R.S. section 28-697(A) if, “while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs, [ ] the person does either of the following:”

1. Commits a violation of § 28-692 or this section while the person’s driver’s license or privilege to drive is suspended, can-celled, revoked, or refused, or the person’s driver’s license or privilege to drive is restricted as a result of violating § 28-692....
2. Commits a third or subsequent violation of § 28-692 or this section ... within a period of sixty months.

“Attempt” is defined by A.R.S. section 13-1001 (1989):

A. A person commits attempt if, acting with the kind of culpability otherwise required for commission of an offense, such person:
1. Intentionally engages in conduct which would constitute an offense if the *206 attendant circumstances were as such person believes them to be; or
2. Intentionally does or omits to do anything which, under the circumstances as such person believes them to be, is any step in a course of conduct planned to culminate in commission of an offense;

An action must be beyond mere preparation to constitute an attempt. Lammie, 164 Ariz. at 381, 793 P.2d at 138.

Attempted aggravated DUI thus requires proof that the defendant, while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs, took any step beyond mere preparation and toward driving or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle. Additionally, there must be a finding that the defendant knew or should have known that his license was suspended, cancelled, revoked or refused or that his privilege to drive was restricted. State v. Freeland, 176 Ariz. 544, 550, 863 P.2d 263, 269 (App.1993) (A.R.S. section 28-692.02 renumbered section 28-697). A conviction for attempted aggravated DUI thus could result from findings by the trier-of-fact that the defendant (1) under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs (2) while his license was suspended, cancelled, revoked or refused or his privilege to drive was restricted (3) had taken a step beyond mere preparation and toward actual physical control of a vehicle without achieving actual physical control of the vehicle. Attempted aggravated DUI therefore is a cognizable offense. 1

C. ARS. section 28-692(0(1)

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945 P.2d 1334, 190 Ariz. 203, 254 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 14, 1997 Ariz. App. LEXIS 183, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-superior-court-of-state-arizctapp-1997.