While driving drunk or on drugs is never acceptable to police, there are some circumstances that can make a traffic stop worse and further damage your case in court. Take for example the case of a 30-year-old Portland, Oregon, woman who was arrested last week.
It was just after 2 a.m. when an Oregon State Police trooper spotted a car speeding on Interstate 5 near Eugene. Suspecting the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the trooper attempted to pull over the car, but it continued to drive south for several miles at 60 mph before speeding to over 100 mph, police said.
Cottage Grove police put down spike strips in the road to stop the car, which drove over them and deflated its two front tires. Police said the driver initially refused to leave the car when it finally came to a stop, but she complied after a few minutes. When police checked the car, they found the woman's 4-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter belted into the back seat. They weren't injured.
The woman was taken to the Lane County Jail and charged with felony attempt to elude in a vehicle, driving under the influence of intoxicants (drugs), reckless driving and two counts of recklessly endangering another person. Both children were turned over to the Human Services Department.
If the woman is found guilty of all the charges against her, she could face more jail time and other penalties than if she had simply pulled over when the state trooper turned on his lights and siren. Being pulled over and charged with a crime can be a frightening experience, and some drivers panic when they fear they're in trouble. But evading police only leads to more charges, which this driver will now have to fight vigorously in hopes of retaining custody of her children and avoiding the most serious criminal penalties.
Source: KPIC.com, "Police: DUII driver with kids in car fled trooper at 100 mph," March 12, 2012
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