Alexandria Eluding an Officer Lawyer
Eluding an officer in Alexandria means that a person was given an audible and/or visible signal from an officer to stop and the person chose to ignore it and keep driving. It is a serious offense and can be made even more serious if the eluding is done in a manner that constitutes reckless driving as that can be a felony charge in Virginia.
Having an attorney can help in these cases because many times this offense can be resolved without the need for a trial. It depends on the facts and circumstances of each case, but if a person is charged with feloniously eluding a police officer, a defense attorney can, under many circumstances, help get that charge reduced to a misdemeanor or outright dismissed. Therefore it is important to contact an Alexandria eluding an officer lawyer today to see how they can help your case.
What Officers Look For
Initially, a person is going to get a signal to stop from a police officer for some traffic infraction. If a person fails to stop within a time-frame considered reasonable by the officer, a person might get the charge for eluding, as well.
As with any case, the facts and circumstances can matter greatly as to whether or not that charge is valid. If a person does not stop within a reasonable amount of time and the officer proves that they were behind a person, it is likely that person will be charged, and will need to consult with an eluding an officer lawyer in Alexandria.
Exceptions
If a person purposefully exits a highway after seeing a police officer clock their speed, that does not count as eluding an officer. Unless, however, there is an officer behind a person giving a signal to stop and the person chooses to ignore that signal. Trying to prevent an officer from settling behind a person to give the signal to stop probably is not going to make the officer happy, but it is not going to result in a separate criminal charge.
Also, looking for a safe place to pull over should not be considered eluding. If a person is given a signal to stop on a road that has perhaps a shoulder, but they are familiar enough with the area to know that there is a turn-off coming up, waiting for a safer spot to pull over should not result in an extra charge. If the officer has questions as to why a person chooses to do that, a person would be well-advised to explain himself or herself to the officer and say, “I was just trying to find a safe place to pull over, so you do not get hit when you exit the car.”
Contact an Alexandria Evading an Officer Attorney
Every jurisdiction has its own way of doing things, as well as its own unique judges, its own unique prosecutors, its own officers, and its own culture of doing business in the criminal justice realm. Having an attorney familiar with that local culture and those local players goes a long way towards helping an individual achieve the optimal results in his or her case. Do not underestimate the seriousness of eluding an officer in Alexandria–contact an eluding an officer attorney in Alexandria today.