After a DUI arrest, the flashing lights in your rearview mirror are just the beginning. You’re facing the Riverside County District Attorney, potential jail time, and the loss of your license. You need more than a plea bargain. You need an experienced DUI defense lawyer who attacks the evidence and fights for your future.
At Liberty Criminal Defense, we don’t just “handle” DUI cases; we dismantle them. Led by local DUI defense attorney Evan Vargas, we use over two decades of experience winning Riverside DUI cases to challenge the stop, investigate the testing, and pursue a full dismissal of your charges.
Defend Your DUI
Evan Vargas has been defending DUI cases in California since 2004. He is familiar with the nuances of the California Vehicle Code and knows how to identify cracks in the police report that less experienced lawyers may overlook.
Liberty defends drivers. We’ve faced the judges at the Riverside Hall of Justice and know which prosecutors are willing to negotiate. Local DAs often seek higher penalties for BACs over 0.15% than other counties. We navigate the local unwritten rules that can make or break your case. This singular focus also allows us to stay ahead of new science in blood testing and breathalyzer calibration.
Winning in court doesn’t automatically save your license. We fight for you on two fronts:
We handle the complex paperwork and arguments to protect your driving privileges so you can keep your job and your life on track.
We defend against all DUI offenses under the California Vehicle Code:
California law applies the Appreciable Degree standard. You don’t need to be slurring your words. You can be arrested for driving under the influence if you drive erratically, show physical symptoms of intoxication such as watery eyes and an unsteady gait, and fail your field sobriety test.
Potential Penalties under VC 23152(a):
VC 23152 (b) is known as a Per Se (in itself) statute. Meaning the test evidence showing your blood-alcohol levels were above 0.08% is, in and of itself, enough to prove you’re guilty of the crime of driving under the influence. You could be driving safely and obeying all traffic laws. But if an officer stops you and your BAC is above 0.08%, you can be found guilty.
Potential Penalties Under VC 23152(b)
Note: Restitution fines and fees generally increase with each subsequent conviction.
Increasingly common in Riverside, drug DUI cases often rely on blood test “guesses” because there is no equivalent BAC test for drugs. Our DUI lawyers ruthlessly challenge drug-based DUI charges.
Potential penalties for VC 23152(f) include:
Felony DUI cases in California are aggressively prosecuted and often built on prior convictions or DUIs involving injury. Riverside prosecutors routinely charge cases involving injury or prior DUIs as felonies to increase leverage, even when the facts are disputable.
Our DUI lawyers aggressively challenge the legality of the stop, the cause of any alleged injury, and whether the evidence supports felony-level exposure.
Potential penalties for a felony DUI include:
If you’re charged with DUI in Riverside County, your case is likely to be heard at the Riverside Hall of Justice, located in downtown Riverside. The courthouse handles the majority of misdemeanor and felony DUI prosecutions for the area.
Superior Court of California Riverside Hall of Justice
4100 Main Street
Riverside, CA 92501
Note: Riverside prosecutors are particularly aggressive with:
Attorney Evan Vargas regularly defends DUI cases in the Hall of Justice in Riverside. He understands how specific judges rule on suppression motions, how individual prosecutors evaluate evidence, and when pushing for trial creates leverage for dismissal or charge reduction.
Your future is decided inside the Riverside Hall of Justice. Local experience tilts the scales of justice in your favor.
DUI charges cost jobs, licenses, and freedom. Waiting makes it worse. Book a free consultation with a Riverside DUI lawyer with proven experience dismantling DUI cases and protecting drivers.
Most DUI arrests within the city limits are heard at the Riverside Hall of Justice located at 4100 Main Street in downtown Riverside. Do not confuse this with the Historic Courthouse down the street. Misdemeanor DUIs are typically arraigned in the Departments on the lower floors. Our attorneys appear here weekly and are familiar with the procedures.
This is a common mistake. While you can visit the Riverside DMV on Sycamore Canyon Blvd for license renewal, they do not handle DUI suspension hearings. Your “Administrative Per Se” (APS) hearing will likely be handled by the Driver Safety Office in San Bernardino (located on Business Center Drive). We handle this entire process for you so you don’t have to drive to San Bernardino or wait on hold.
Yes, we can. If you were arrested by the Riverside Police Department or the CHP in city limits, you were likely booked at the Robert Presley Detention Center (RPDC) in downtown Riverside. If you were released with a citation, your “mugshot” and fingerprints are still in their system. We’ll proactively work to get the charges dropped before a conviction hits your permanent record.
A “Wet Reckless” (VC 23103.5) is a plea bargain where a DUI charge is reduced to reckless driving involving alcohol. This is a major win because it typically carries lower fines, no mandatory jail time, and a shorter probation period than a standard DUI. Riverside prosecutors are tough, but we frequently negotiate for this outcome when the blood evidence is borderline.
If convicted (or if you lose your DMV hearing), you must attend a state-licensed alcohol program. In Riverside, common providers include The High Road Program on Arlington Avenue or Riverside Recovery Resources (The Alpha Program) on Elizabeth Street. We guide our clients on which program is best for their schedule and how to enroll.
In most cases, California law allows for a “Restricted License” if you install an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) in your vehicle. This enables you to drive anywhere (not just to work). We can help you find approved installers in Riverside and file the paperwork to get you back on the road immediately.
Not automatically. Miranda rights only apply if you are in custody and being interrogated. Most police ask the incriminating questions (“Have you been drinking?”) before they arrest you, during the investigation phase. However, if they questioned you after putting you in the back of the patrol car at the scene without reading your rights, we may be able to suppress those statements.
Riverside law enforcement increasingly uses “Drug Recognition Experts” to arrest drivers for marijuana or prescription pill DUIs. These cases are much harder for the DA to prove because there is no “.08” limit for drugs. We specialize in attacking the blood tests and the officer’s subjective “opinion” of your sobriety.
Between court fines (often $2,000+), penalty assessments, DUI school fees, DMV reissue fees, and insurance hikes, a first-time DUI can cost over $10,000 over three years. Evan Vargas and Liberty DUI can help you avoid the high fines and protect your financial future.
The system is designed to process you quickly, not fairly. Without a lawyer, you are just a case number. You might miss defenses regarding the calibration of the breathalyzer or the validity of the traffic stop. Evan Vargas ensures your rights are protected and fights to keep a conviction off your record.
Riverside splits the jurisdiction of DUI offenses between the Sheriff’s Office and the California Highway Patrol, each of which approaches video evidence differently. This creates a patchwork or “checkerboard” of evidence in which the California Highway Patrol uses MVARS (Mobile Video/Audio Recording System) while local Riverside police use body cams. Evan Vargas has proven experience deconstructing MVARS and bodycam evidence and can deploy his technical knowledge to secure your DUI case dismissal.
