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Evading Law Enforcement in Georgia

Earlier this year, 48-year-old Adrian Dove was finally arrested by the United States Marshals. Initially believed to be living in Syracuse, Dove was arrested in Ithaca. This 48-year-old man was a wanted criminal by the Savannah Police Department and was known to be a truck driver traveling to Syracuse. It is likely that Dove drove to Ithaca from Syracuse, where he was arrested by the U.S. Marshals. 

Fleeing or eluding is considered a serious traffic offense in Georgia. People are fearful after committing a crime and attempt to run away from a police officer, but this puts them in even more trouble.

What is Described as Fleeing or Attempting to Elude in Georgia?

According to O.C.G.A. §40-6-395, it is against the law for a driver to willfully refuse or fail to stop his or her vehicle or attempt to elude or flee an officer of the law or police vehicle when given a signal. The signal may be a hand motion, emergency light, voice, siren, or other signal. The officer must be wearing a uniform and display his or her badge. The police vehicle must be appropriately marked as a police vehicle.  

Fleeing or Attempting to Elude is Often Associated with DUI

More often than not, people who are charged with fleeing are accused of DUI charges. This is because individuals refuse to stop their vehicles as they do not want to get caught and have charges filed against them. Other common charges that individuals attempting to elude face include drug possession, suspended license, or a warrant that has been issued already for their arrest.

What is the Penalty for Fleeing or Attempting to Elude in Georgia?

If an individual flees or attempts to elude when stopped by a traffic officer in Georgia, they could be fined with a hefty amount which could be anywhere between $500 and $5,000 depending on the severity of the case along with a jail term which could vary between 10 days and one year.

Additionally, if an individual is convicted of the same crime within 10 years, they will have to face a fine that could be in the range of $1,000 to $5,000 or a jail term of 30 days to 12 months, or both.

Further, if an individual is convicted for the third time within ten years, they will get a jail punishment that could vary between 90 days and 12 months, a fine ranging from $2,500 to $5,000, or both.

Although these charges are what one faces in such incidents, they might face an elevated penalty if the driver does any of the following while fleeing from the officer:

  • Strikes or collides with a pedestrian or another vehicle while eluding
  • Flees in high-traffic conditions, thus risking the lives of general public
  • Leaves the state
  • Drives the vehicle at a speed that exceeds the posted speed limit by 20 miles per hour

The Next Steps

If you have been charged with fleeing or attempting to elude in Georgia, it is highly recommended to take the right steps and seek immediate legal help to stay safe. Contact the experienced attorneys at Lankford & Moore Law today to schedule a consultation. 

I realized the true function of a lawyer was to unite parties riven asunder. The lesson was so indelibly burnt into me that a large part of my time during the twenty years of my practice as a lawyer was occupied in bringing about private compromises of hundreds of cases. I lost nothing thereby — not even money, certainly not my soul.

Mahatma Gandhi

Lankford & Moore Law in Downtown Lawrenceville

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