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Learn more about your case - view posts regarding personal injury, criminal defense and other legal matters provided by the Law Firm of Mark S. Hanchey and Ben Peterson.

Domestic Violence

Accused of Domestic Violence After a Heated Argument in Colorado? What Happens Next

Posted on by Mark S. Hanchey
Accused of Domestic Violence After a Heated Argument in Colorado? What Happens Next

A heated argument can turn into a criminal case quickly when police believe a crime involving domestic violence occurred. In Colorado, domestic violence is generally not a separate criminal charge. It is a legal designation attached to an underlying offense when the alleged conduct involves a person with whom the accused is or has been […]

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Car Accident

Cold-Weather Car Accidents in Colorado Springs: Why Crash Risks Rise and What Drivers Should Know

Posted on by Mark S. Hanchey
Cold-Weather Car Accidents in Colorado Springs: Why Crash Risks Rise and What Drivers Should Know

Cold weather can raise car accident risks in Colorado Springs because snow, ice, slush, poor visibility, and freezing pavement can reduce traction and make vehicles harder to stop or control. The danger is not limited to heavy snowstorms. A road that looks clear can still contain black ice, especially on bridges, overpasses, shaded stretches, and […]

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DUI

Fall Football Season DUI Arrests in Colorado Springs: Common Charges and Penalties

Posted on by Mark S. Hanchey
Fall Football Season DUI Arrests in Colorado Springs: Common Charges and Penalties

Football season in Colorado Springs, Colorado can bring tailgates, watch parties, restaurant gatherings, late kickoffs, crowded parking areas, and heavier nighttime traffic. A DUI arrest after a game does not create a separate football-season offense. Colorado DUI, DWAI, DUI per se, drug-impaired driving, and related traffic laws apply in the same way they do throughout […]

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Posted in DUI
Hit-and-Run

Colorado Springs Hit-and-Run Accidents This Fall: What Happens Next?

Posted on by Mark S. Hanchey
Colorado Springs Hit-and-Run Accidents This Fall: What Happens Next?

A hit-and-run accident in Colorado Springs can leave you dealing with injuries, vehicle damage, missing insurance information, and an urgent question: what happens next? Your first priorities are getting medical care when needed, reporting the crash, preserving evidence, and notifying the appropriate insurance companies. Colorado law requires drivers involved in crashes that cause injury, death, […]

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Car Accident

Injured by an Uninsured Driver in Colorado Springs? How Your Claim Usually Works

Posted on by Mark S. Hanchey
Injured by an Uninsured Driver in Colorado Springs? How Your Claim Usually Works

If an uninsured driver causes a crash in Colorado Springs, you may still have a path to compensation. Colorado law generally requires qualifying automobile liability policies to include uninsured motorist coverage for bodily injury unless the named insured rejects that coverage in writing. A UM claim usually requires you to show that the uninsured driver […]

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Traffic Violation

When School Zone Traffic Violations in Colorado Springs Become Criminal Cases

Posted on by Mark S. Hanchey
When School Zone Traffic Violations in Colorado Springs Become Criminal Cases

Most school-zone traffic violations in Colorado Springs do not become criminal cases by themselves. Lower-level speeding allegations may be handled as traffic infractions or non-jailable municipal offenses. Higher speeds, reckless driving, passing a stopped school bus, careless driving that causes injury, or suspected DUI or DWAI can lead to a mandatory court appearance and, in […]

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Felony Defense

How Colorado Police Investigate Felony Assault Cases

Posted on by Mark S. Hanchey
How Colorado Police Investigate Felony Assault Cases

A felony assault investigation after a summer incident in Colorado Springs can involve much more than the statements officers collect at the scene. Police may examine injuries, lawfully obtained medical records, surveillance footage, cell phone videos, witness accounts, physical evidence, 911 calls, body-camera recordings, messages, and evidence about who initiated the confrontation. Whether police investigate […]

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Motorcycle Accident

Late-Summer Motorcycle Accidents in Colorado Springs: Common Injury Claims and Legal Options

Posted on by Mark S. Hanchey
Late-Summer Motorcycle Accidents in Colorado Springs: Common Injury Claims and Legal Options

A late-summer motorcycle crash in Colorado Springs can leave you facing serious injuries, medical treatment, lost income, motorcycle damage, and questions about insurance coverage. Warm riding weather can keep more motorcycles on the road, while lower evening sun, rain, hail, pooled water, construction zones, school traffic, and changing lane patterns can reduce visibility or traction. […]

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Juvenile Defense

Teen Charged With a Crime After Returning to School? A Colorado Springs Parent’s Action Plan

Posted on by Mark S. Hanchey
Teen Charged With a Crime After Returning to School? A Colorado Springs Parent’s Action Plan

If your teen is charged with a crime after returning to school, focus first on protecting your teen’s rights, preserving evidence, and meeting every court and school deadline. Encourage your teen to remain respectful, but do not encourage a detailed explanation to police, school resource officers, administrators, classmates, or social media followers before a lawyer […]

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DUI

Prescription Medication DUI Arrests in Colorado

Posted on by Mark S. Hanchey
Prescription Medication DUI Arrests in Colorado

Yes. You can be arrested for DUI or DWAI in Colorado after taking prescription medication, even when the medication was lawfully prescribed and taken according to directions. The central question is whether the medication, alone or combined with alcohol or another substance, affected your ability to drive safely. A valid prescription can explain why a […]

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Posted in DUI