Being pulled over by police is almost always a nerve-racking experience, even if you don't think you've done anything wrong. If, however, you know why you're being stopped and are worried about being charged with drunk driving or another traffic violation, a squad car's flashing lights and siren can send you into a panic. How you choose to react will affect the outcome of the ensuing case against you.
If you choose not to pull over, you may be hit with some of the charges a 54-year-old Oregon man now faces. State police attempted to pull over the man's pickup truck, which was reported to be driving erratically on Interstate 84 west of Pendleton Aug. 11. But instead of stopping, the driver sped up to about 90 mph, according to an Oregon State Police lieutenant. The state police trooper followed the truck, and a high-speed chase began.
As the truck driver approached Pendleton he slowed down slightly, to roughly 50 to 70 mph. City police department officers joined the chase at that point, attempting to force the truck to slow down using spike strips that would damage the pickup's tires. But the driver managed to avoid them and got off the interstate about two miles later, the OSP lieutenant said. As he continued through Pendleton, the driver entered a parking lot and headed the wrong-way down a one-way street.
The pickup finally came to a stop when a state trooper hit the back of it with his cruiser. The truck's 54-year-old driver, who police believed to be homeless, was arrested on preliminary charges of DUII, felony attempt to elude, hit-and-run (property damage), reckless driving and recklessly endangering another person.
Had the driver stopped when he was originally pulled over, it's likely he wouldn't have been hit with most of the charges he now faces. Driving under the influence is a serious charge, but his legal battle will be considerably tougher in light of the additional offenses he's been accused of. It pays to remember when you see those lights in your rearview mirror that eluding police in a chase is nearly impossible, and certainly not worth the extra penalties you'll face by not pulling over immediately.
Source: Oregon Live, "Oregon State Police arrest 54-year-old man after chase near Pendleton," Devin Kelly, Aug. 11, 2012
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