Wayne County DUI Records
Wayne County DUI records are public documents that track DUI arrests, court filings, and case outcomes in one of Utah's least populated counties. Loa is the county seat, and the 6th District Court there handles criminal DUI cases. Wayne County covers a large area of south-central Utah that includes Capitol Reef National Park and other natural attractions. Tourism to these areas brings seasonal visitors who travel rural highways in the county. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office and the 6th District Court are the primary sources of DUI records in Wayne County.
Wayne County Quick Facts
Wayne County DUI Records Overview
Wayne County is one of the smallest counties in Utah by population, with about 2,600 residents. The county covers remote terrain in south-central Utah. State Route 24 runs through the county past Capitol Reef National Park and connects to communities like Torrey, Bicknell, and Loa. DUI enforcement in Wayne County primarily falls to the Wayne County Sheriff's Office and the Utah Highway Patrol, which covers state routes through the region.
DUI arrests in Wayne County follow the same state process as every other Utah county. An officer who stops a driver on suspicion of DUI can conduct field sobriety tests and request chemical testing. If the driver is arrested, the booking record is held by the Wayne County Sheriff. If charges are filed, the case goes to the 6th District Court in Loa. Court records in Wayne County include the criminal complaint, arraignment documents, plea records, and sentencing orders. These are public records under Utah's GRAMA law.
Tourism to Capitol Reef National Park and surrounding areas brings out-of-state visitors to Wayne County's roads. These visitors may not be aware of Utah's .05 BAC limit. The Utah Highway Patrol actively enforces DUI laws on the rural highways that pass through Wayne County year-round, with higher activity during peak tourist seasons in spring and fall.
Note: Wayne County's small size means that DUI cases are relatively few, but each case follows the same legal process that applies statewide in Utah.
Searching Wayne County DUI Records Online
The Utah Courts XChange system holds electronic records for the 6th District Court in Loa and courts across the state. XChange is the primary online tool for searching Wayne County DUI cases. Monthly access costs $30. Per-search fees range from $0.15 to $0.35, and document downloads cost $0.50 to $1.00 each. Visit utcourts.gov/xchange to create an account and begin searching Wayne County DUI records.
Defendants in Wayne County DUI cases can use the free MyCase portal at mycase.utcourts.gov to view their own case information without any subscription. This tool shows filed documents, upcoming hearings, and case status for active and closed cases. For statewide criminal history including Wayne County DUI convictions, the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification processes name-based checks for $15. BCI can be reached at (801) 965-4445 or at bci.utah.gov.
The Wayne County offices, including the District Court clerk, are all located at the Wayne County Courthouse at 18 S Main, Loa, Utah 84747. The main phone number is (435) 836-2765. Office hours are 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday, with a lunch break from 12:30 to 1pm. The deputy court clerk is Tawni Nelson, who can be reached at (435) 836-1301 or tawni.nelson@waynecountyutah.gov.
DUI Enforcement in Wayne County
The Wayne County Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement for unincorporated Wayne County. Sheriff M. A. Gulley leads the office at 18 South Main Street in Loa. The office can be reached at (435) 836-1308 or waynesheriff@waynecountyutah.gov. For non-emergency matters, the number is 800-356-8757. The Utah Highway Patrol covers state routes passing through Wayne County, including SR-24 and SR-12, which are two of the most scenic and heavily traveled roads in southern Utah.
DUI stops in Wayne County often involve tourists driving unfamiliar roads in remote terrain. Officers enforce Utah's .05 BAC threshold on all public roads in the county. A DUI arrest in Wayne County results in a booking at the local detention facility. The Wayne County Attorney, Michael Winn, serves as the chief prosecutor for misdemeanors and felonies in the county, including DUI cases. The attorney's office is at (435) 836-1327 and can be reached at attorney@waynecountyutah.gov.
Capitol Reef National Park draws significant visitor traffic from spring through fall. The roads around Torrey and Fruita inside the park see steady traffic during peak seasons. Law enforcement agencies monitor these routes closely, and DUI arrests during tourist season contribute to Wayne County's annual case count at the 6th District Court in Loa.
Wayne County Court Records and DUI Cases
The 6th District Court in Loa handles all DUI cases filed in Wayne County. Court records for Wayne County DUI cases include the initial criminal filing, hearing records, plea or trial documents, and the final sentencing order. These records are public and can be accessed through the XChange system or by visiting the Wayne County Courthouse at 18 S Main, Loa, Utah 84747. All county offices, including the court clerk's office, are located in this building.
The Wayne County Clerk, Felicia Snow, manages county-level records. Her office handles a range of county government records, though court-specific DUI case files are maintained by the 6th District Court clerk. Deputy clerks Tawni Nelson, Mary Sorenson, and Kassidee Brown are available to assist with records questions. A records request form is available at waynecountyutah.gov/pages/county-offices.
DUI convictions in Wayne County become part of the defendant's permanent record under Utah law. A guilty or no contest plea cannot be held in abeyance. The conviction is accessible to authorized parties through BCI criminal history checks and to the public through court records systems like XChange.
Note: Wayne County's small court volume means that XChange records for this district are available, though some older paper records may require an in-person visit to the courthouse in Loa.
Utah DUI Laws Applied in Wayne County
Utah DUI law applies uniformly across the state, including in remote Wayne County. The BAC threshold under Utah Code section 41-6a-502 is .05, the strictest standard in the country. Officers in Wayne County enforce this limit on SR-24, SR-12, and all other public roads. A first DUI conviction in Utah requires a minimum $700 fine, mandatory jail time, and an 18-month ignition interlock device requirement. Drivers under 21 face a three-year IID requirement for a first offense.
The metabolite DUI law at Utah Code section 41-6a-517 prohibits driving with any controlled substance metabolite in the body. This applies whether the substance was legal or illegal, and no impairment needs to be proven. In Wayne County, this rule is enforced the same way it is everywhere else in Utah. Implied consent under Utah Code section 41-6a-520 applies to all Wayne County drivers. Refusing chemical testing results in license consequences through the DLD separate from any criminal charges.
Sentencing for Wayne County DUI cases follows state guidelines under Utah Code section 41-6a-505. The 6th District Court judge must impose minimum penalties for each conviction level. A second DUI brings greater minimum penalties, and a felony DUI carries the most serious consequences including prison time and longer IID requirements. The Utah 24/7 Sobriety Program is available for repeat offenders in Wayne County as a condition of supervised release.
License Actions and IID Requirements
A DUI arrest in Wayne County sets off a parallel process at the Utah Driver License Division. The Admin Per Se action can suspend a driver's license before any criminal conviction. Drivers who want to challenge the suspension must request a DLD hearing. Details about this process are at dld.utah.gov/dui. The DLD requires Wayne County law enforcement to report DUI arrests within five workdays.
IID requirements for Wayne County DUI convictions follow the same schedule as the rest of Utah. A first conviction requires an 18-month IID, extended to three years for drivers under 21. A second DUI brings a three-year IID requirement. Felony DUI results in a six-year IID mandate. DUI causing death brings a ten-year IID. Refusing chemical testing means an 18-month IID for the first instance, and 36 months for each refusal after that. Wayne County drivers must use a DLD-approved IID provider. The full list of approved providers is at dld.utah.gov/iid.
Note: Out-of-state drivers arrested for DUI in Wayne County are subject to Utah's IID requirements before they can legally drive again in Utah.
Requesting Wayne County DUI Records
Court records for Wayne County DUI cases can be obtained from the 6th District Court at the Wayne County Courthouse, 18 S Main, Loa, Utah 84747. Call (435) 836-1301 or email tawni.nelson@waynecountyutah.gov to reach the court clerk's office. You can also search online through XChange or visit in person during office hours. The courthouse is open Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm, with a lunch break from 12:30 to 1pm.
For arrest records held by the Wayne County Sheriff, submit a written GRAMA request to the Sheriff's Office at 18 South Main Street, Loa, Utah 84747. GRAMA requests must be responded to within 10 business days. Standard copy fees of $0.25 per page apply, and research time beyond 15 minutes costs $20 per hour. A records request form for Wayne County is available at waynecountyutah.gov/pages/county-offices.
Statewide criminal history that includes Wayne County DUI convictions is available through BCI for $15 per name-based check at bci.utah.gov. This is useful for checking whether a specific person has a DUI conviction anywhere in Utah, not just in Wayne County. The Utah Courts self-help resources at utcourts.gov also explain the DUI court process in detail.
Cities in Wayne County
Wayne County is home to several small communities spread across a large rural landscape. All DUI cases from these areas are filed at the 6th District Court in Loa.
Loa is the county seat. All DUI arrests in Wayne County, including those near Capitol Reef National Park, are processed through the court in Loa.
Nearby Counties
Wayne County shares borders with several other Utah counties. DUI arrests are filed in the county where the stop occurred.