Thursday, April 24, 2014

Virginia Traffic Lawyers Reckless Driving Lynchburg Double Jeopardy

Lawyer - Virginia Reckless Driving

As per Va. Code § 46.2-852, the general rule for reckless driving is defined as, irrespective of the maximum speeds permitted by law, any person who drives a vehicle on any highway recklessly or at a speed or in a manner so as to endanger the life, limb, or property of any person shall be guilty of reckless driving.

Below is a sample case of reckless driving in Virginia as interpreted by a lawyer in our firm.

Have you been charged with Reckless Driving in Virginia and you are wondering what the penalty is in VA? 

Are you concerned about the consequences of being charged with Reckless Driving in Virginia?

For a lot of our clients, a charge of Reckless Driving can result in the loss of their job, their security clearance, etc.

Don’t risk going to court without a lawyer, if you have been charged with a crime of Reckless Driving in Virginia.

If you have been charged with a criminal offense of Reckless Driving in Virginia and you are wondering what the penalty is in VA, contact our law firm for help. 

We have client meeting locations in Fairfax Prince William Richmond Loudoun Virginia Beach Fredericksburg Lynchburg.

Contact our law firm today to speak with a lawyer today about your Criminal Case.  An attorney from our firm will do his best to help you.

We will do our absolute best to help you get the best result possible based on the facts of your case. The lawyers in our law firm have the necessary experience to assist you with this matter.

Charles v. Commonwealth

Facts:

An officer activated his signal and pursued the car defendant was driving in Lynchburg; it turned into a gas station, accelerated, and re-entered the road without stopping or slowing down, causing other vehicles to brake or stop. Defendant pled guilty to reckless driving in district court. He argued the prosecution failed to prove that he endangered a person or the operation of a law enforcement vehicle, as required to convict him of violating § 46.2-817(B). The appellate court disagreed.

If you are facing a traffic case in Virginia, contact a SRIS Law Group lawyer for help.  You can reach us at 888-437-7747

Holdings:

The Virginia Court made the following holding:

  • When considering on appeal the sufficiency of the evidence presented below, the appellate court presumes the judgment of the trial court to be correct and reverses only if the trial court's decision is plainly wrong or without evidence to support it. Under this standard, the appellate court is not permitted to reweigh the evidence. Instead, it asks whether any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.
  • In the context of the double jeopardy bar, considering Va. Code Ann. §§ 46.2-852 and 46.2-817(B) together, both contain different elements. The reckless driving statute, § 46.2-852, requires that the accused be driving on a highway, whereas the felony eluding statute, § 46.2-817(B), does not necessitate that the accused drive on a particular roadway. Section 46.2-852 provides that a violation may occur if the accused endangers any property of a person. Section 46.2-817(B), however, provides that a violation occurs only where the accused endangers the operation of a law enforcement vehicle, but not the law enforcement vehicle itself. It further requires that the accused receive a visible or audible signal from a police officer to stop his vehicle. Moreover, 46.2-817(B), unlike § 46.2-852, proscribes the driving of the accused only after he has disregarded an officer's signal to stop. Thus, ifelony eluding and reckless driving constitute separate offenses in that different facts are required to prove each.
We have client meeting locations in Fairfax Prince William Richmond Loudoun Virginia Beach Fredericksburg Lynchburg.

An attorney from our firm will do his best to help you.

We will do our absolute best to help you get the best result possible based on the facts of your case. The lawyers in our law firm have the necessary experience to assist you with this matter.

Disclaimer:

These summaries are provided by the SRIS Law Group.  They represent the firm’s unofficial views of the Justices’ opinions.  The original opinions should be consulted for their authoritative content.

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