A DUI arrest in Anacortes can happen in an instant — a traffic stop on Commercial Avenue, an incident near the ferry terminal, or a stop along SR-20 after a night out on Fidalgo Island. However it happened, the consequences are serious: your driver’s license, your finances, your job, and your record are all on the line, and some of the deadlines that follow a DUI arrest move quickly. If you’ve been charged with driving under the influence in Anacortes, what you do in the days after your arrest can matter as much as anything else in your case.

The Campbell Law Firm is based right here in Anacortes, and that local footing is a real advantage. DUI cases arising in the city are typically handled in the Anacortes Municipal Court, while others are heard in the Skagit County courts — and knowing how these local courts and prosecutors approach DUI cases helps us anticipate what’s coming and plan accordingly. Anacortes DUI attorney Justin Campbell has spent more than 15 years defending clients in these courts. He examines every part of the City or State’s case — the reason for the stop, how field sobriety tests were conducted, and whether breath or blood evidence was properly collected — and looks for every opportunity to challenge it.

Physical Control Charges in Anacortes

Many people are surprised to learn you can be arrested in Anacortes without ever being seen driving. Being in “actual physical control” of a vehicle while impaired — for example, sitting in a parked car outside a Commercial Avenue bar, or pulled over to sleep it off along SR-20 — can lead to a charge that closely mirrors a DUI. Physical control cases carry many of the same penalties and license consequences as a DUI, but they also come with defenses that are unique to them, including whether the vehicle was safely off the roadway. Justin has defended these cases for years and knows how to build the arguments that matter in an Anacortes physical control case.

Felony DUI, Vehicular Homicide, and Vehicular Assault

Not every impaired-driving case is a misdemeanor. When a DUI involves a serious accident, injuries, or certain prior history, it can be charged as a felony and moved to the Skagit County Superior Court. These are the highest-stakes cases a driver can face:

• Felony DUI — a DUI elevated to a felony because of prior convictions or other aggravating circumstances, carrying the possibility of prison time and long-term loss of rights.
• Vehicular assault — filed when impaired driving is alleged to have caused serious injury to another person.
• Vehicular homicide — the most serious impaired-driving charge, brought when a collision is alleged to have caused a death.

Justin has experience defending clients across all of these charges. He understands how the State builds a felony impaired-driving case — the accident reconstruction, the toxicology, the expert witnesses — and how to challenge each piece. If you’re facing a felony DUI, vehicular assault, or vehicular homicide charge in Skagit County, you need a defense that treats the case with the seriousness it demands.

Experience and Results You Can Count On

Justin’s background sets him apart. As a former court commissioner, he has evaluated cases from the bench — an inside view of how judges weigh the evidence and arguments in a DUI case. Over more than 15 years, he has handled DUI and DUI-related matters at every level, from first-offense stops to felony vehicular cases, and has built a strong track record of favorable results: charges dismissed, DUIs reduced to lesser offenses, license consequences avoided, and cases won at trial when the City or State couldn’t meet its burden. Many DUI cases are resolved most effectively through careful negotiation with the local prosecutors Justin knows well, but when a case calls for a fight, he is fully prepared to take it to trial.

A DUI rarely comes alone. Related charges like reckless driving, negligent driving, driving while license suspended, hit-and-run, or being in physical control of a vehicle while impaired can accompany or grow out of a DUI stop, and each carries its own consequences. Justin defends the full range of these charges and works to protect both your driving privileges and your future. If you’ve been arrested for DUI or a related charge in Anacortes, don’t wait — contact the Campbell Law Firm today to talk through your situation and how we can help.