While it may be scary, pulling over is the better choice.
Picture this scenario: you’re driving down the freeway when you see police lights flashing in your rearview mirror. It soon becomes obvious that the police are pulling you over. You panic, knowing that you could possibly be charged with something more than speeding. Perhaps you have been drinking, or maybe you have some drugs in your car. What should you do? Should you pull over, or try to flee?
According to a criminal lawyer in Los Angeles, CA, your best option in this scenario is to pull over when it is safe to do so. There are a number of reasons why it is a bad idea to flee, even if you are tempted to try to make a run for it because you think that you will be charged with a crime.
First, police chases rarely work out well for the person attempting to elude law enforcement. The police have the ability to call in back-up and cut you off on the highway, if you attempt to exit, or elsewhere. There is virtually no chance that you will succeed in fleeing the police.
Second, by attempting to flee, you open yourself up to additional charges. Evading a police officer in a vehicle is a separate criminal offense, charged as a misdemeanor. It is punishable by up to 1 year in county jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000. Even if you hadn’t originally committed a crime, by fleeing, you will almost certainly be charged with a crime.
Third, by trying to evade the police, you will likely lose your ability to challenge the legality of the stop itself as well as any ensuing search of you or your vehicle. To legally stop your vehicle, the police must have a reasonable and articulable suspicion that you have been involved in criminal activity. If they cannot justify the initial stop based on specific facts that demonstrate that you either were or were about to engage in criminal activity, your criminal lawyer in Los Angeles, CA can challenge the stop itself and any evidence that comes from it. If you flee the police, you are committing a separate crime — which gives the police a legal basis for the stop. As a result, you lose your ability to challenge the stop.
For these reasons, your best option when you see police lights in your rearview mirror is to stop your vehicle in a safe, well-lit area. If you are worried about your safety, you can take steps to protect yourself, such as taking out your phone to record the interaction. This has the added benefit of potentially serving as evidence in the event that the police violate your rights in some way.
If you are charged with a crime related to a traffic stop, a criminal lawyer in Los Angeles, CA can help defend you. The Chambers Law firm advocates for its clients who have been charged with all types of California criminal offenses. To learn more or to schedule a free initial consultation, reach out today at 714-760-4088 or dchambers@clfca.com.
