Whenever you get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, you owe everyone else on the road a duty of care to drive reasonably and responsibly. When you drive recklessly, you violate that duty of care, and you can face serious criminal penalties. Although you might assume that a reckless driving charge is relatively minor, that assumption is dangerous because a conviction could have severe implications on your life. A conviction could force you to spend time in prison, pay a hefty fine, and lose your license.
A Winter Garden reckless driving lawyer knows how to help. Our well-practiced traffic attorney could review the evidence and help you come up with an innovative and effective defense strategy.
As outlined in Florida Statutes § 316.192, reckless driving occurs when someone drives a motor vehicle with wanton and willful disregard for the safety of people or property. When someone drives away from a police officer, like when the law enforcement officer tries to pull them over to give them a ticket and they flee, that automatically constitutes reckless driving.
Other examples of reckless driving could include the following:
A dedicated Winter Garden lawyer has extensive experience helping people who have faced reckless driving charges and vigorously defending them.
A seasoned local attorney could review the police and prosecutor’s evidence and perform their own independent investigation to determine the best legal defense strategy.
In order to convict someone of reckless driving, prosecutors must prove willful or wanton behavior. A qualified legal team could show that the prosecution failed to prove that you had the necessary criminal intent. Even if you were driving carelessly or negligently, you may not have been driving recklessly. The legal team could help establish that you did not know that your driving would pose a risk to people or property.
The prosecution needs to show that the defendant was the one behind the wheel. If the arrest does not happen right at the scene and occurs after the alleged crime, the police might need to rely on witnesses for identification. The legal team could interview the witnesses and look for inconsistencies in their statements. The lawyers could also present other witnesses to corroborate your story and place you at a different location at the time of the alleged Winter Garden reckless driving incident.
Sometimes, people need to get places fast in true emergencies, such as when someone is in labor or experiencing another medical emergency, or when they are fleeing from what they reasonably believe to be a dangerous situation.
When the Winter Garden Police Department pulls you over for driving recklessly through the Historic Downton, you might consider quickly admitting fault by pleading guilty to the charge. However, reckless driving penalties are not the same as traffic citations. When you drive recklessly, you commit a criminal offense, and you can face serious criminal penalties.
First-time offenders face up to 90 days in prison and a fine that can range between $25 and $500. Repeat offenders face up to six months in prison and a fine between $50 and $1,000. If someone experiences personal injury or there is damage to property, the alleged offender could face first-degree misdemeanor charges and face up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine. If someone experiences serious bodily injury, the driver could face third-degree felony charges and up to 5 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
In addition to criminal penalties, reckless driving in Winter Garden can cost you money because it adds points to your driving record and could cause you to lose your license for a period of time. Because the potential consequences are so severe, working with a knowledgeable attorney is critical.
Driving recklessly is a serious charge, and trying to handle this type of matter by yourself without representation is not a wise idea. A trusted Winter Garden reckless driving lawyer understands what you are going through and could work diligently to fight the charges. Contact us today to get started on building your defense with a reliable criminal lawyer.
The Umansky Law Firm Criminal Defense & Injury Attorneys
