If you barrel down Orange Avenue and careen onto Interstate 4 with a police officer pursuing you, you will be charged with reckless driving as soon as you are caught. The crime occurs when you operate a motor vehicle in a manner that wantonly or willfully disregards the safety of others or their property, and it includes fleeing and eluding a police officer.
Do not dismiss this charge as a pesky traffic ticket. Even for a first offense, you could be ordered to spend up to three months in Orange County jail and to pay a hefty fine. There are also some ancillary repercussions from a conviction, such as higher car and homeowners’ insurance premiums. Your friends may be leery of riding with you, and subsequent convictions come with even steeper penalties. For experienced help, contact an Orange County reckless driving lawyer now.
After an officer pulls a motorist over and explains they are being detained for reckless driving, the motorist is escorted to jail and booked. What follows is:
The outcome of an arrest and journey through the legal system depends heavily on the right defense attorney to protect a defendant’s rights and advocate for justice and mercy. Contact an Orange County reckless driving attorney to discuss the particulars of your case.
Even without extensive damage or injuries to others, a conviction for reckless driving includes fines, possible jail time, probation, and other penalties the judge deems appropriate. A first conviction with no injuries and little to no property damage can land a defendant in jail for up to 90 days and up to six months for a subsequent conviction. Fines for a first offense range from $25 to $500 and $50 to $1,000 for subsequent convictions.
The judge can order community service and probation with jail time or instead of it. Probation forces those convicted of reckless driving to report regularly to a probation officer and participate in appropriate rehabilitation programs.
If the officer who stops the motorist suspects alcohol or drugs contributed to the reckless driving charge, additional penalties, including counseling will apply. Driver’s licenses can be suspended and vehicles impounded.
If serious injuries or property damage occur, the prosecutor can elect to charge a third-degree felony with prison time of up to five years, according to Florida Statutes § 775.082. Because penalties for reckless driving can loom over a motorist’s future, make that crucial call to an Orange County lawyer now.
Because the prosecutor must prove a motorist’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, which means the jury must not have any doubt whatsoever regarding a defendant’s guilt, a defense attorney will poke holes in the prosecutor’s evidence to attempt to raise enough doubt for an acquittal. In many cases, the intent to drive recklessly can be refuted by showing negligence, but a lack of recklessness. Extenuating circumstances can also be introduced, such as when a motorist experiences a medical emergency and is rushing to the hospital. Motorists may also be mistaken for another driver if multiple cars are involved, or the officer’s traffic stop violated a motorist’s rights to a lawful search and seizure. Because a motorist’s future depends on a lawyer’s skillful defense, contact the right Orange County reckless driving attorney now.
A citation for reckless driving is more than a civil matter, it is a criminal one requiring help to negotiate a plea bargain, fight for a dismissal, or defend you to a jury that can send you to jail, even for a first offense with no injuries or property damage.
One indiscretion does not define you and should not negatively impact your future. Our defense attorneys have decades of combined experience fighting for clients just like you. When you need an advocate in the justice system, call an Orange County reckless driving lawyer to stand with you.
The Umansky Law Firm Criminal Defense & Injury Attorneys
