05/30/2026
One of the biggest misconceptions about DUI law is that you cannot be charged with DUI if your vehicle is parked. In reality, Colorado law focuses on whether a person was in "actual physical control" of the vehicle while impaired, and that determination can depend on factors such as where the keys were located, whether the engine was running, where the vehicle was parked, and the driver's ability to operate the vehicle. Every case is highly fact-specific, and simply being asleep or sitting in a parked car does not automatically mean a conviction is inevitable. Because the stakes can include license consequences, fines, probation, and even jail time, it is critical to have an experienced Colorado DUI defense attorney carefully examine the facts and challenge the prosecution's assumptions about actual physical control. Contact in Bio