Anyone have experience fighting reckless driving charge in general or specifically in Connecticut?

Question

I was pulled over and the officer said I was doing 90 in a 65 dropping down into a 55 mph zone. He went back to his car for a good 20 minutes then comes back tells me to get out of the car and says he is arresting me for reckless driving. He then tells me I have to appear in court, yada yada, takes my picture with my vehicle and says if I don't appear he will come find me.

My question is does anyone have experience fighting a reckless driving charge, specifically in Connecticut, more specific in Meriden? Also, it seems that this is a charge most associated with DUI and I was not drinking and driving so I believe that all in all the officer was just being a jerk but how can I turn that into a viable argument.

Among the arguments I plan to pose are that the CT law says that speeding alone does not constitute reckless driving but that reckless driving involves wilfull and wanton behavior which is definied as posing a danger to anyone other than yourself.

Answer 1

There are several different violations that can qualify as reckless driving in Connecticut, one of which is:
A person operates a MV on a highway, in a parking area for ten or more cars, on a private road for which a speed limit has been established, or on school property at a speed greater than 85 MPH.

Answer 2

Ha. Good luck. About 3am one night when I was 19, I was completely sober and I was leaving my boyfriends house in Fairfield. My car was parked on the street, facing the direction I needed to drive. I didn't want to wake up his parents by starting the car, so I just slipped it into drive without turning the ignition key and I let the car roll down the hill a little bit. I planned on stopping the car in front of the next house and starting it up there. WELL, I didn't know that you couldn't do that with an automatic because everything locks up, including the break pedals and the ignition switch. I was able to keep steering the car but it kept rolling down the hill. It never went over 15mph. I freaked out and totally forgot about the emergency brake as I approached the end of the road and a ditch. I jumped out and watched the car roll into the ditch.

The cops came, I got towed out of the ditch. I watched the cop read some sort of law book in the car before he handed me a ticket. I tossed it into the backseat and drove home. A week later, I was cleaning out my car and I found the ticket. It was a SUMMONS and it said it was for RECKLESS DRIVING. I had 2 days before I was supposed to appear in court in Bridgeport. We called the court but there were no Public Defenders left so we had to hire a lawyer in Fairfield County that was $500/hr. The lawyer said that there was a possible 30-60 day jail sentence, license suspension, points on my license and a fine. This was also my very first offense ever.

We went to court, I got away with a $100 fine and some points on my license for reckless driving. My license was NOT suspended, but this was 10 years ago and things may have changed. Also, I didn't even go into the court room, the lawyer did so I don't really know how they came to that decision. So, if I was charged with reckless driving for rolling a car into a ditch, under the speed limit without it even running, I'm not surprised you were charged with it too. I was NOT arrested, it was my first offense AND I had an expensive lawyer but I still had 'reckless driving' put on my record.

I'm not sure what you can do to get out of it completely. Speeding is reckless driving in CT if you're caught going 85+mph.

Answer 3

As you should have been. This time of year, they're extra vigilant when it comes to reckless driving (just ask Paul Vance,) so it doesn't surprise me in the least that you were caught. Doing 90 in a 65 zone is inherently posing a danger to others. Isn't that common sense? And weren't you WILLING to put that lead foot of yours on the accelerator? There's your willful and wanton behavior.

If you fight this, you'd look like an idiot. Be apologetic and you may get off easy---this time. Stop playing lawyer like everyone else and accept what you deserve.

Answer 4

nicely, being that he has been issued quite a few speeding tickets interior the previous and it replaced into got here upon that he had a minor alcohol point in his blood and he's underage, definite. he's likewise in charge, through fact the motive force of the motor vehicle, for the different passengers in his vehicle, so the incontrovertible fact that his passenger replaced into unrestrained, this is his fault. So, as much as i think of he's a sturdy guy or woman and could in no way inflict harm intentionally, definite he could face reformatory time and a great. Now the quantity of reformatory time should not be large yet he could additionally, as a public discern, make a public assertion commercial approximately speeding/racing. I additionally do not think of it replaced into extremely smart or compassionate for him to brag approximately getting a sponsor for racing his vehicle a month after he have been given into that twist of destiny. He could stay faraway from speeding era!