When news broke that former NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb was charged on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) in Arizona last month, he shone a spotlight on the problem Arizona has with people who continue to wrack up extreme DUIs.

Arizona’s standard DUI is defined as having a BAC of .08 or more, while an extreme DUI is charged in Arizona when someone is arrested on suspicion of DUI and he or she has a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.15 or higher. In this case, McNabbs’ BAC was twice the legal limit at 0.17, and he’s in even hotter water because this was his second DUI arrest in 18 months.

Even a standard DUI in Arizona will net the offender jail time and an ignition interlock in any vehicle you drive, but a second time extreme DUI offender has even more to face up to:

120 days in jail
He or she must pay fines up to $3,250
Loss of driver’s license for 12 months
He or she is required to complete an alcohol/drug treatment program
He or she must install an ignition interlock device in each and every vehicle you drive
He or she must complete community service

Arizona is also one of the only states to also have ‘Super Extreme DUI’ designation, and to be charged with super extreme DUI the offender must have a BAC of .200 or above. The crime is a misdemeanor, but it has a minimum jail term of 45 days for a first super extreme DUI offense. If you’re charged with this offense, you’ll also have to install an ignition interlock device for at least 18 months and you’re much more likely than a standard DUI offender to get your face plastered on a website designed to showcase DUI offenders.

Hopefully DUI #2 is enough to put Donovan McNabb on the straight and narrow and he’ll avoid any further DUI charges.

About Matt Talley