Tempe Car Accident Lawyer
Jay Ciulla has handled many cases in Tempe, Arizona. The Ciulla Law Firm, PLLC, is conveniently located in central Phoenix near the light rail or freeway for easy travel from Tempe. Since he is a native of the Valley of the Sun, he has experience in the Tempe courts and understands the legal culture of the area. He enjoys helping people who have been injured in Tempe traffic accidents and obtaining a fair settlement for them. Attorney Jay Ciulla also works on bicycle accident and pedestrian injury cases in Tempe, Arizona.
City of Tempe and Traffic Accidents
Tempe is a densely populated suburb to the east of Phoenix that serves as a crossroads for the area's largest communities. The city is surrounded by major highways, including Interstate 10 on its western border, Loop 202 to the north, and Loop 101 on the eastern border. In addition, Tempe is bisected by U.S. Route 60, which runs east-west through the center of the city. Consequently, vehicle accidents are an everyday occurrence in Tempe.
Tempe is best known as the home campus of Arizona State University. The streets around campus are filled with vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians – a stressful mix. The Sun Devil Stadium is an outdoor football venue that hosts the Cactus Bowl, along with many other sports events. Also on campus is Frank Lloyd Wright-designed ASU Gammage Memorial Auditorium, which hosts varied cultural events.
Tempe is best known for its man-made Tempe Town Lake, which is the location of the Arizona Dragon Boat Festival, Oktoberfest, and Ironman Arizona, among other events. On the banks of Tempe Town Lake if the Tempe Center for the Arts, which sponsors performing and visual arts. Tempe is also home to Arizona's largest shopping mall – Arizona Mills – as well as a large open air shopping center, Tempe Marketplace. All of these attractions bring many citizens of surrounding cities to Tempe, resulting in increased traffic and the resulting traffic accidents.
How to Get a Traffic Accident Report from the Tempe Police Department
If you are involved in an accident in the city of Tempe, the officer who investigates will be an officer from the Tempe Police Department, a professional force that patrols on horseback, motorcycle and squad car in the city of Tempe. In order to obtain a traffic accident report in Tempe, you printout a Record Request Form from the web site: http://www.tempe.gov/city-hall/police/records, and either mail the completed form or deliver it in person to the Records Section of the Tempe Police Department, 120 East 5th Street, Tempe, Arizona 85281. The charge is $5.00 for the first 20 pages and $.25 for each additional page. The Records Section accepts cash or checks and money orders made payable to the City of Tempe.
How to Get a Traffic Accident Report from ASU Police
If you are involved in a traffic accident on one of the streets encompassed by the Arizona State University campus, an ASU police officer will investigate the collision. You can get a copy of the resulting report by printing out a Public Records Request form at https://cfo.asu.edu/asu-police-records. After filling out the request form, you can take it directly to the ASU Police Department at 325 East Apache Boulevard or send it to ASU Police Department, Attn: Records, P.O. Box 871812, Tempe, AZ 85287-1812. The fee is $6.00 for the first 20 pages and $.35 for additional pages. The fees can be paid by check, money order or Visa/Mastercard. Checks and money orders should be made payable to Arizona State University.
How to Get a Traffic Accident Report from the Department of Public Safety
If you have a traffic accident on one of the major thruways in and around Tempe, an officer from the Department of Public Safety will investigate and prepare a report. Department of Public Safety crash reports are not available online; they can be obtained in person or by mail for a small fee. The Request for Copy of Accident Report is available online to print out at http://www.azdps.gov/services/records/Department_Records/. The mailing address is Department Records Section, P.O. Box 6638, Mail Drop 3111, Phoenix, AZ 85005. The Arizona Department of Public Safety is located at 2222 West Encanto Boulevard, Phoenix AZ 85009. The office does not accept credit or debit cards; it accepts only cash, business checks or money orders made payable to Arizona Department of Public Safety (ADPS).
Tempe Bicycle Accident Cases
Tempe City Code, Section 7-52(c)
If you are riding your bicycle on a sidewalk in Tempe, be aware that the Tempe City Code differs from the city codes of most cities in Arizona. Generally, in Arizona, sidewalks are considered to be bidirectional, and if you are struck when riding in a crosswalk at an intersection, your direction of travel will not matter. Not so in Tempe. Section 7-52(c) states:
No person shall ride or operate a bicycle in any direction except that permitted by vehicular traffic on the same side of the roadway where the sidewalk or bicycle lane exists. Consequently, this is a more complicated case in Tempe and you will need an experienced attorney, if you are struck by a vehicle while in a crosswalk after riding against traffic on the sidewalk in Tempe, Arizona.
Tempe Courts
If you are issued a traffic citation or you are a witness because of an accident, your court date will likely take place in the Tempe Municipal Court at 140 East Fifth Street, Tempe, AZ 85281. Options for civil traffic violations include attending a defensive driving program, entering a plea of responsibility and paying the fine or entering a plea of non-responsibility and requesting a hearing.
Contact The Ciulla Law Firm, PLLC
Here at The Ciulla Law Firm, PLLC, an experienced attorney will represent your Tempe accident injury case. Jay Ciulla, Esq., is happy to represent you, and he is proud to obtain a fair settlement for you. If need be, will help you find affordable medical care in Tempe that will wait for payment. Call (602) 495-0053 for a free consultation. We are happy to meet you at our office, your home or hospital.
