Fleeing Atlanta Police When Driving Intoxicated
When the lights and sirens of a police car appear in your rear view mirror, you instantly think about what you might have done wrong. For some people who know they have had a couple of drinks or more, or for anyone nervous about what the police may find when they stop the car, there may be a slight temptation to try and run. However, attempting to flee or elude police officers is a very serious charge, and can be much worse than a DUI conviction alone.
Under the Georgia motor vehicle and traffic codes, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer is punishable, and is either a high and aggravated misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the circumstances. Fleeing or attempting to elude is the willful failure or refusal of a driver to bring their vehicle to a stop when given a visual or audible signal to stop the car. When you see a police vehicle behind you with the lights and sirens on, you are supposed to immediately pull your vehicle over to the side of the road.
If convicted of attempting to elude the police, the driver can face a fine of from $500 to $5,000, and up to a year in jail, with a mandatory minimum jail sentence of 10 days. A second or third conviction for the same crime can involve harsher sentences with increased mandatory minimums of 30 days and 90 days in jail respectively.
However, if the driver was fleeing police while in violation of drinking and driving laws, then they may be guilty of a felony, with a fine of $5,000 and and up to 5 years in jail. A DUI is rarely treated as a felony, but a DUI while eluding police can end in a felony conviction in addition to the DUI charges. If you are worried about the police arresting you for driving while intoxicated, attempting to flee will only make it worse.
In many cases, alleged fleeing is accidental, and the driver had no intention to flee police. This could be because the driver had their music up too loud, or were busy talking on a handsfree device, and did not notice the police officer behind them for a few moments. The police officer may charge a driver for fleeing or attempting to elude just because the driver did not notice them.
Lawyer for Atlanta DUI and Eluding the Police
If you were arrested for driving under the influence in the Atlanta area, and the police claimed you were fleeing arrest, you may think it's just your word against theirs. An Atlanta DUI lawyer can do an investigation into your arrest, and fight your charges. Just because the police arrested you for a DUI does not mean you have to be convicted, and have your life ruined. Call me today, so we can discuss exactly what happened in your case, and I will fight for you to keep your license to drive, and keep your record clear.