Baseball Player Arrested in Florida on Reckless Driving Charge
A baseball player for the Dodgers was arrested recently in Florida when he was caught speeding on a stretch of road known as Alligator Alley on Interstate 75. State patrol officers say that Yasiel Puig was stopped around mile marker 99 when they recorded him going 110 miles per hour.
Based on the speed that a driver is going and what sort of conditions they are driving in, a speeding ticket can turn into a reckless driving charge, which carries steeper fines and other potential penalties. Reckless driving charges may also be brought if someone is violating other traffic laws or attempting maneuvers that are unsafe on a public road.
It is not clear yet what penalties the professional baseball player will face in this case. Thus far he has posted a $500 cash bond in order to be released from the Collier County facility where he was held immediately following the arrest. He has previously been arrested in reckless driving charges in another state but the charges were eventually dismissed so he was never convicted.
Reckless driving is generally considered a less serious charge than a DUI charge, which can also carry fines and other penalties. In some cases both reckless driving and DUI charges can lead to the suspension of a driver’s license or a requirement for driver education courses. Each case is different and will be evaluated taking all of the facts into account, including prior similar offenses or mitigating or aggravating circumstances that inform the particular situation.
Source: Naples Daily News, “L.A. Dodgers star Yasiel Puig arrested after driving 110 mph on Alligator Alley,” Dec. 28, 2013.
