Sep 18, 2013 | Car Accidents, Criminal Defense, DUI & DWI, Uncategorized
A man from the South Carolina area passed away Saturday night after a terrible accident where his truck caught a flame.
According to the South Carolina Highway Patrol, the accident occurred a little before 7:30 p.m., when the man was travelling southbound on Fin Place.
Apparently, the driver was driving his 2010 Chevy Pickup truck with a passenger in the car, when he veered off the road and struck a transformer box. Somehow a spark was ignited, and the pickup caught fire.
There were two young people inside the vehicle at the time. A 21-year-old, who was driving the vehicle was from Columbia, and the 20-year -old victim who was from the Charleston Area.
The young man from South Carolina lost his life, and died from injuries sustained in the crash.
The driver of the Chevy was hospitalized, but is currently in stable condition.
The South Carolina Troopers state the crash is still under investigation. At this point, they do not know if alcohol was a factor or not in the accident.
If you or someone you know has been involved in a serious car accident, or charged with reckless driving, in the North Charleston Area, contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP toll-free at 877-374-5999 and talk to us about your situation.
Sep 17, 2013 | Criminal Defense, DUI & DWI, Uncategorized
In South Carolina, and pretty much every other state, the law requires that in order to get a driver’s license either for the first time, or renewed, then you must certify that they are also insured by an automobile liability policy.
You can do so by filling out Form 4477-NC or Form 447-CDL, depending on which type of license you are attempting to obtain. Please see the SCDOT website to download these forms.
However, if you, or no one in your household actually has a vehicle, you can check off the form accordingly; however you still must get liability insurance and declare that you certify yourself “personally” for automobile liability insurance. This would be used if you were driving for a company but did not own a vehicle of your own.
At any time, an owner may be required to provide proof that the vehicle that they are using is insured. Think about it. The very first time you register your vehicle in SC, or if you renew your registration, you must provide the name of your insurance company to the South Carolina DMV.
Then SCDMV will then verify that you actually do have coverage via internet sources. If they can not verify that you have insurance, than you may either have your license suspended, or not get one at all.
The second time you may have to prove this insurance is if you are stopped by an officer of the law. We have all heard cops ask for ” license and registration please,” upon getting pulled over. If you do not have your registration on you, you may be cited, fined, or even imprisoned.
If you are a new resident in SC, make sure to have your address and license changed with the appropriate authorities within 90 days of residency in the state.
If you are pulled over by an SC officer, and you do not have your registration card on you, then you have 30 days to provide proof of insurance to avoid any further suspension.
If you have had an incident with being pulled over, and received a hefty fine or citation for not having your driver’s license or proof of insurance on you, then contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP toll-free at 877-374-5999 for more information on our rates.
Sep 17, 2013 | Car Accidents, Criminal Defense, DUI & DWI, Uncategorized
According to the South Carolina Highway Patrol, an investigation of a deadly crash Saturday night is currently underway.
The SC Troopers say that the accident involved three vehicles, and most likely alcohol.
The serious car accident occurred on U.S. Highway 17-A , around 9:10 p.m. on Clubhouse Road.
Apparently, there was an intoxicated driver travelling the highway in his 2003 Ford, when he did an illegal u-turn in the middle of the thoroughfare. The reports state that the Ford and a second vehicle were both travelling northbound side by side at the time, with the Ford being in the middle lane.
The driver of the second vehicle, a sedan of some sort, was in the far right lane, closet to the median, when the Ford slammed the second car into on-coming traffic while making the u-turn. The second car was then pushed right in front of an oncoming 2005 Isuzu truck on the opposite side of the road.
The driver of the sedan ( the second vehicle) was entrapped in his vehicle and sadly was pronounced dead at the scene when the medics arrived.
The drivers of both the Ford and of The Isuzu were both taken to the closet hospital, and are currently being treated for their injuries.
The accident, as stated above, is still under investigation, yet alcohol and the illegal u-turn were certainly the leading factors in the crash.
If you have been involved be a serious car accident, or received a DUI due to an accident, contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP toll-free at 877-374-5999 for more information on your case.
Sep 16, 2013 | Car Accidents, Criminal Defense, DUI & DWI, Uncategorized
The Mt. Pleasant Police Department has just arrested and charged a woman with a DUI,
after she lost control of her SUV and drove it straight into Shem Creek Bridge. The result was knocking about 30 feet of concrete and railing from the bridge into the creek. She is lucky that only her vehicle was damaged.
The police got wind of the accident just moments after it happened, a little before 2:00 a.m. on Friday night. They went to the scene of the crime, and the woman’s SUV was on the sidewalk portion of the bridge, flipped around facing the southbound direction. The SUV was literally teetering from falling completely into Shem Creek.
The police report stated that the driver had slammed her SUV into a palm tree in the center of the median before veering back into the road and then into the railings of the bridge.
The driver was a 20-year-old female who reported to the police that she “lost control of her vehicle after she hit a curb.” It was the police who could smell that the underage girl had been drinking, and asked her to step out of the vehicle for a round of Field Sobriety Tests, where she failed to recite her ABCs properly.
She told the police that she had only had one beer, and then refused to take the breathalyzer test. Thus, she was taken to the Charleston County Detention Center where her BAC level was found to be higher than the legal limit.
She was later released on a bond a little under $1,000.
If you have been charged with a DUI in Mount Pleasant, contact the experienced DUI attorneys at Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP for assistance with your case toll free at 877-374-5999 or locally at 843-901-0380.
Sep 16, 2013 | Criminal Defense, DUI & DWI, Felony DUI, Uncategorized
Having your driver’s license suspended in the state of South Carolina can be an astronomical burden for you, and for those around you who now have to drive you around. The Sout
h Carolina Department of Motor Vehicle has, however, listed the most common types of suspensions, how long the suspension will last, and what the reinstatement fee can be.
Some of the most common suspensions typically arise from driving under the influence of alcohol.
For your first DUI offense in South Carolina, your license will be suspended for six months. If you receive a second DUI conviction, your license will be suspended for an entire year. On your third offense, your license will be suspended for two whole years. If you somehow receive a fourth DUI offense in this state, your license will be suspended for 3 years, plus any time that you may have served.
This holds true for a Felony DUI as well. Due to the nature of the DUI, meaning that someone was seriously injured or killed when you were drunk driving, your penalties will be the same as though you have received your fourth DUI, even if it is your first offense, if it is considered a Felony DUI.
This all may sound confusing, and it can be. You do not have to go at it alone. If you have been charged with a DUI, contact an attorney immediately to have them help you work through the process, from beginning to end. At Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP, we are ready to take that step with you. Contact us toll-free at 877-374-5999 for more information on your options.
Sep 9, 2013 | Criminal Defense, Drug Crimes and Controlled Substances Defense, DUI & DWI, General, Uncategorized
Fort Mill and Charlotte Mecklenburg’s Police Departments have banned together to arrest a North Carolina homeless man living in the woods near the ever-popular Carowinds.
Carowinds is unique as far as jurisdictional issues goes, because it lays right on the boarder of North and South Carolina, with half of the park in one state, and the other half in the other.
According to the arresting deputies, the homeless man was seen drunk in public while he was attempting to panhandle at a convenience store. When the officers requested him to cease and desist, he refused to do so, allowing the officers to arrest him.
The officers were alerted of this mischief late Wednesday night, when a clerk at a convenience store called in and said the homeless man was begging for money on Carowinds Blvd, even at the entrance into the park.
By the time the officers arrived, the 52-year-old man was sitting on a stack of empty beer bottles. He told the police that he had never been asked to leave, and denied ever carrying a sign.
When the defendant stood to hit feet, he could not remain stable without holding onto the top of the officer’s patrol car.
The defendant has been charged with public intoxication, public disorderly conduct, as well as trespassing. He is currently being held at the York County jail with a minimum bond of $732.50.
If you, or someone you know has been charged with any sort of drinking offense, whether it be public intoxication or a DUI, contact the experienced attorneys at Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP toll-free at 877-374-5999. Everyone deserves a proper defense. Call us today to schedule a free consultation.
