The cops dash cam will either convict or exonerate you. For how many miles were you speeding?

 

Can't even say it was 1 mile, I gunned it and then threw it in neutral the rest of the way

 

Man good luck, I got pulled at 128 several months back, the cop owned a Vette and didn't even give he a warning ticket, I was lucky, and have chilled big time since.
You have no choice but to hire a good lawyer, if not you will be paying for this for awhile.

 

It just sucks guys. This is my first offense ever, on an empty road and it's now a darn felony.

 

Good luck!

 

I'm going to need it

 

If the dash cam shows you were pulling away from the squad, it might be hard to prove you weren't evading. You definitely need a lawyer.

 

Take this for what it's worth, if what you are saying is true, you have nothing to worry about, as long as you lawyer up. With no prior convictions, there is no way they will make this stick, much less incarcerate you. Let’s be realistic, what do they have to gain by doing this, the jails are over crowded and there are too many thieves, drug dealers and such to contend with. All that is happening here is that the officer is trying to send you a clear message before something bad happens. His way of doing that is to scare the crap out of you and get into your wallet. I know this from experience, my list of charges exceeded yours by miles and everything was amended to reckless driving.
Keep the car, be smart going forward, spend the money for a lawyer, and chalk it up to a life lesson.

 

If I was pulling away it wasn't for very long, hopefully the cam shows my brake lights


This makes sense, he did talk about how someone was killed racing on this road 2 months prior. We'll see what happens

 

ouch,

 

oh don't go throwing logic and reason into this.. it's the po po and the republic of kali, and they make no sense whatsoever.

Good Luck!

 

when I was going through a divorce I didn't have the money for a lawyer. what did I do? I got a title loan on my corvette for one. why? because by doing that I got custody of my daughter. the car is nice and all but without the lawyer I would have lost my daughter. im not saying to sell or not sell the car, but you need a lawyer. I have paid off the loan and the car is mine again but I was willing to do whatever it took to keep what was sacred to me. its the same for you buddy, your freedom and future are worth more than anything. get an attorney. the felony will haunt you forever. its just the tip of an iceberg

ill pray for ya man

 

As everyone else has said

GET A LAWYER QUICK!!

This is serious stuff and could affect the rest of your life!! No time to take a chance on these charges. You need all of the help you can get to fight these charges.

 

Money or not you need a lawyer or you going to be paying more in the long term!

 

Just to play Devil's advocate. I accept that this is your "first" driving offense. At least the first one you have been caught for.. Some people's first offense is murder. Doesn't change the offense.

Get your lawyer, go to court dressed appropriately (no cut offs and wife beater T-shirt with dirty sneakers) and express your remorse to the judge. Tell the judge you have learned your lesson and mean it. Pray for the best and I sincerely hope you walk out of the courtroom with your valid driver license in hand.

 

A lawyer will get it down to a Misdemeanor and you will probably get probation either way -

Really is a bad deal, but you will definitely want to get a lawyer or a court appointed one to help you in your case.

I too live in California and really hate these kind of things -

Keep us posted on your progress and look to family and friends to help out where they can

Thanks,Matt

 

lets assume all goes well and you get to walk out, id recommend you change your driving for a while. I understand its fun to show off for a friend and get the thrill but its not worth it.

 

A good lawyer should be able to get it reduced to a misdemeanor. You are going to have a lot of points against your driving record at over 100 MPH!! Your insurance could drop you as well.

A felony stays with you for LIFE!!! I would get in touch with a lawyer ASAP!

 

I agree, I think you need to do whatever you have to do to get a lawyer or your going jail my friend. The fact that someone was killed on that same road from street racing is just tightening the noose and making the cop look less like he is being overly hard on you and more like he is concerned for public safety and being proactive against street racers.

I personally think that your saving grace may the fact that according to you, you did actually stop and followed directions. You not only stopped but waited as other officers showed up. Which gives more credit to your position of "i wasn't intending to evade, I stopped and pulled over as soon as I saw the officers lights" You didn't resist, you didn't jump out of the car and run. I'm sure your passenger was at least questioned if not detained I'm curious as to what happened with him and what statement he made. If his statement matched yours that you just had a moment of stupidity and opened the car up on a deserted road which you know doesn't make what you did okay and then let off the gas and that you pulled over as soon as you saw the lights that would probably help things. If he refused to give a statement or said I have no idea what he was doing that might help to sink ya. anywho… just my unsolicited $.02 Best of luck to you

 

I do not know much about CA Law and I'm sure theirs is way different then most of the other states, but what I do know is, IF you have no prior convictions, speeding tickets, or any blemishes, chances are you will end up with probation, and a fine, if you have a good lawyer. I would not let a public defender handle this, they are not going to fight for you as well as a paid lawyer IMO. As one member said that cam is going to either be your best friend or your worst enemy. If you did go a mile as you say and he has you at 120mph, thats roughly 30-45 seconds of video chasing you, anything less then that of the chase itself would be in question. Also I would seriously argue how a mile would constitute evading? IMO the cam would have to show he was up on your tail and you refused to stop, according to you as soon as you saw the lights you pulled over, that put into question the evading, and any good lawyer, and neutral judge would see that.

Also that cam would have to catch you at a distance if he flipped it on as soon as you past him, because he assuming was at a standstill, I would also have your lawyer ask for the maintenance and calibration records of the gun that caught you at 120. Obviously the LEO has to be present for this and that video is evidence, Im just trying to give you a few details to think about when your viewing that video.

Also you would have to have your lawyer investigate the LEO to see if he has any blemishes on his record, or complaints, or similar cases in the past, because then he could be considered a over-zealous LEO.

The cop could be a hard ***, a rookie, a person who lost someone or knows someone who lost someone in a similar situation, or trying to as someone said make an example at your expense. I know it was said that someone was killed racing on that road, but the video would show you were not racing anyone should help, your lawyer could argue it was a momentary lapse in judgement as he points out your clean record.