An Aurora DUI arrest doesn’t stop when the handcuffs come off. It sets a series of events in motion: booking, bond hearing, bail setting, release conditions; none of which most people have ever dealt with, and are learning about first hand as someone they know sits in custody. The coming hours are critical in determining how long this person will remain there and how much it will cost to remove them. This guide explains everything from start to finish what happens after a DUI arrest, how bail is determined for DUI charges specifically, and what a bail bondsman can and can’t do in this situation in Aurora.
The First Few Hours: What Happens at Booking
Aurora Police and Colorado State Patrol DUI arrests all are taken to the Arapahoe County Detention Facility, located at 7375 South Potomac Street in Centennial 80015, which processes all Arapahoe County arrests, including those from Aurora. The average booking time is 4 to 8 hours (based on facility case load, time of arrest, and if chemical testing is required as part of booking).
When booked, the arresting officer’s report is recorded in the system and the defendant is photographed, fingerprinted and outstanding warrants are checked. An additional $30 booking fee and $10 filing fee is also charged at the facility in addition to the bail amount set by the court. When someone is arrested for DUI at the scene or at the hospital, the results of the blood draw may not be available immediately – Aurora Police often book on probable cause and charges may be entered and bail may be set based on the officer’s best guess of the blood alcohol level.
How Bail Is Set for DUI Charges in Aurora
Arapahoe County has a bond schedule for DUI offenses, which sets forth basic bail figures that the presiding judge can then modify according to the circumstances of each case. The bail for a DUI offense in Colorado is usually $1,000 or so for a misdemeanor, and is subject to aggravating factors or past offenses, and may turn into a felony with bail set as high as $50,000.
Factors That Push DUI Bail Higher in Arapahoe County
- Prior DUI convictions: A second DUI offense significantly increases bail repeat offenders are treated as higher flight risk and public safety concern simultaneously
- BAC of 0.15% or higher: This triggers Persistent Drunk Driver designation in Colorado, carrying enhanced penalties and frequently resulting in higher bond amounts
- Felony DUI threshold: Driving under the influence becomes a felony in Colorado if you have at least three past DUI-related offenses, or if someone gets seriously hurt or killed felony bond amounts bear no resemblance to standard misdemeanor DUI figures
- DUI involving an accident with injury: This elevates the charge to Vehicular Assault a Class 4 felony in Colorado with bond amounts that can reach $20,000 to $50,000 or higher depending on injury severity
- Outstanding warrants: Any existing failure-to-appear warrant discovered during booking can result in bond being denied entirely on the DUI charge until the prior matter is resolved
- Refusal of chemical testing: A first DUI with aggravating facts can be treated very differently from a first DUI with none the court may look at whether a test was refused, whether there was a crash, whether anyone was hurt, and whether there are any warrants or missed court dates in the background
The Bond Hearing Timeline in Aurora
Colorado misdemeanor DUI cases are heard in the County Court in the county in which the offense took place, and Arapahoe County DUI cases are heard at the Arapahoe County Justice Center (ACJC) located at 7325 S. Potomac Street in Centennial, Colorado. Bond hearings are generally held within 24 hours of being arrested, for any arrest made on a weekday. That time frame is extended by the fact that weekend and holiday arrests often do not get to a bond hearing until the following Monday, resulting in time served in custody over the weekend, no matter how simple the case may seem.
This is the time when it is most important to have a bail bondsman available. If the bondsman is already acquainted with the defendant’s circumstances, has paperwork ready, and is keeping track of the case, they can post bond in hours after the bond is set. If the family contacts a bondsman afterwards, they will be adding extra hours to the release process.
What a DUI Bail Bond Costs in Aurora
A bail bond agency typically charges 10-15% of the bail in Colorado, and this fee is not refundable. Other charges include court surcharges, GPS/alcohol monitoring, or jail processing. This is because the premium isn’t returned after the case is concluded, whether through dismissal, a not-guilty plea or a plea agreement.
The premium is $200 to $300 on a standard first offense DUI bond of $2,000. On a high-BAC DUI bond of $10,000, the premium reaches $1,000 to $1,500. With a felony DUI with a $40,000 bond, the premium will be $4,000 – $6,000. Most bondsmen will require collateral in the form of real estate equity, the title on a vehicle or some other asset in order to guarantee their loss if a higher value bond is used. Most Aurora bail bond firms offer payment plans for the premiums if it’s not possible to pay them all at once.
DUI Bond Conditions in Aurora: What Changes After Release
A DUI release in Aurora almost never comes without attached conditions, and those conditions begin the moment the defendant walks out of the Arapahoe County Detention Facility. In the 18th Judicial District, judges routinely set requirements other than merely reporting to Court dates when approving a bond for DUI.
Standard DUI Bond Conditions in Arapahoe County
- Pretrial supervision check-ins: The defendant must report regularly to Arapahoe County Pretrial Services on a schedule set by the court
- Alcohol monitoring: For repeat offenses or high-BAC arrests, the court frequently orders continuous alcohol monitoring through a SCRAM ankle bracelet that tests perspiration for alcohol content around the clock
- Ignition interlock device: Installation on any vehicle the defendant operates may be ordered as a bond condition before the DMV separately requires it through their license revocation process
- Travel restrictions: Defendants may be prohibited from leaving Colorado or Arapahoe County without prior court approval
- No new alcohol-related offenses: Any subsequent alcohol-related contact with law enforcement during the pretrial period can trigger immediate bond revocation
If any of these conditions are violated a bond is revoked with subsequent re-arrest, even if all court dates have been successfully completed even if the person is missing a check-in, tests positive on a SCRAM device, or is cited for a second violation.
The DMV Process Runs Parallel to the Criminal Case
It’s at this point that many Aurora DUI defendants are taken aback. After being arrested for a DUI, there are two distinct and separate processes: the Administrative Process with the DMV, and the Court Process with the Judicial System. There is no interaction between the paths.
Colorado DMV automatically revokes your license after an Aurora DUI arrest, and you only have seven days from arrest to file a Colorado DMV hearing. If not, the revocation goes into effect automatically no matter what happens in criminal court. If a driver’s license is revoked due to failure to file a request for a hearing, an acquittal in criminal court does not restore the license. This deadline runs from the arrest date not the bond hearing date, not the first court appearance. The seven day rule is in effect and the ability to contest an arrest is lost.
What Happens If the Defendant Misses a Court Date
A bench warrant is issued immediately because of a missed court date in a DUI case. Failure to appear in court will result in forfeiture of your bail bond, thus losing any cash bail that was posted, and the bail bondsman will attempt to collect the entire bond from you or your co-signees. The bond may also be forfeited and any security placed for the bond may be taken and liquidated to satisfy the bond amount. Colorado also has criminal failure to appear charges that carry extra penalties such as fines and jail time.
A missed court date jeopardizes the family’s or co-signer’s collateral and also creates a new criminal issue, failure to appear, which makes dealing with the court more complicated going forward.
What to Have Ready When You Call a Bail Bondsman
Getting someone out faster depends on how prepared the caller is when making first contact. Have the following ready before you call:
- The full legal name of the person arrested
- Confirmation they are held at the Arapahoe County Detention Facility, 7375 S. Potomac Street, Centennial
- The booking number, if available, speeds up verification significantly
- The bail amount if already set
- The charges as listed at booking
If the bond hearing has not yet occurred, a bondsman can still begin the process and be ready to post bond the moment the amount is established.
Conclusion
A DUI arrest in Aurora moves fast and in multiple directions simultaneously criminal booking, bond hearing, DMV revocation clock, pretrial conditions and the window to act effectively on each front is narrow. The families that secure their loved one’s release sooner and at the lowest price are the ones who are familiar with the process before entering into it.
For DUI bail bond needs in Aurora and throughout Arapahoe County, Fast & Easy Bail Bonds offers 24/7 service, knowledge of the local 18th Judicial District, knowing what goes on at Arapahoe County Detention Facility and can post bond as soon as a hearing is finished to prevent your loved one spending an additional evening in custody waiting on paperwork.