May 22, 2013 | DUI & DWI, Felony DUI, Uncategorized
A Simpsonville man is facing felony DUI charges after a wreck that killed another man, and injured his daughter. This occurred just after 8:00
p.m. on Lee Vaughn Road, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol. Troopers report that a 24-year-old man has been charged with felony DUI involving death and felony DUI involving great bodily injury.
The victims were operating a 2001 Toyota when the 1994 Dodge pick-up driven by the suspect collided with them. The suspect made a right hand turn, lost control of his truck, and then over-corrected striking the right side door of the Toyota. Both of the victims were wearing seat-belts at the time. The driver of the Dodge was also brought to the hospital for treatment of his injuries. He is facing felony DUI charges.
If you or a loved one has been charged with DUI or felony DUI, contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, LLP at our Fort Mill, South Carolina office at 803-548-4444, or toll free at 877-374-5999.
May 20, 2013 | DUI & DWI, Felony DUI, Uncategorized
A Rock Hill man has fled from Winthrop University police after crashing his vehicle into a flower bed just after midnight. Before the incident, police observed the car swerve in and out of lanes near Cherry Road, and after the officers signaled their blue lights, the driver continued to swerve turning on Lister Street, onto Drake Court, and back onto Lister Street.
The driver continued to speed throughout the streets of Rock Hill, eventually running off the road, colliding with a curb, and demolishing a wood-framed flower bed. The offender was reported to have been slurring his speech with blood-shot eyes; the telltale signs of a drunk driver. Further, when the man was brought to the police station, a penny was found in his mouth, which is typically used to elude a breath-test.
The man is being charged with driving under the influence, failure to stop for a blue light, driving under suspension, and resisting arrest. So, if you or a loved one has been charged with DWI, or a drinking related charge, call the law offices of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, LLP for a confidential consultation. You can reach our Charlotte office at 704-499-9000. Also, people charged in South Carolina may call us at our Baxter Village office in Fort Mill, South Carolina at 803-548-4444, or toll-free at 877-374-5999.
May 20, 2013 | DUI & DWI, Felony DUI, Uncategorized
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has reported that a Florida man smashed into a utility pole on the intersection of South 
Boulevard and Hebron Street at around 2:30 on Friday morning. Thereafter, he was taken to the hospital and charged with DWI and reckless driving.
After the accident occurred, power was shut off completely for many nearby homes and businesses. Further, people were not able to purchase tickets for the Charlotte Light-rail due to the power outage. The busy stretch was closed to drivers of both directions on South Boulevard due to the officer’s misconduct.
Witnesses have reported that people were late for work, school buses were running late, and businesses were unable to bring customers through the doors. Neighbors were extremely inconvenienced by this accident, and witnesses report that they had to get ready for work in the dark, and some could not take warm showers.
The fact that this DWI caused property damage will serve to aggravate the sentence this man may be charged with, and may result in some pretty hefty fines. If you or a loved one has been charged with DWI, contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, LLP for a confidential consultation. You can reach us at our Charlotte, North Carolina office at 704-499-9000, or toll-free at 877-374-5999.
May 19, 2013 | Drug Crimes and Controlled Substances Defense, DUI & DWI, Felony Drug Possession, Felony DUI, Uncategorized
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police recently set-up a checkpoint along the 6600 block of WT Harris Boulevard near Harris Center Drive in 
northeast Charlotte. The police were very productive in the amount of charges that were garnered as a result of the checkpoint with a staggering ten DWI’s in one night. Other charges include twelve charges for people who were driving with their license revoked, seventeen for not carrying their operator’s license, two without insurance, three people for drug charges, and one was even found with a gun. The total number of charges was an incredible seventy-two.
Courts within the State of North Carolina, as well as throughout the United States have found that it is in the public’s best interest to allow checkpoints to find intoxicated drivers as well as those committing various offenses. However, there are some limitations with how officers may conduct themselves, and this can sometimes result in a dismissal or mitigation of a charge.
Therefore, if you have been charged with a DWI or another crime at a checkpoint, contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, LLP at our Charlotte, North Carolina office. For a confidential consultation, contact us at 704-499-9000, or toll-free at 877-374-5999.
May 15, 2013 | DUI & DWI, Felony DUI, Uncategorized
A strange turn of events took place in Florida after a drunk man fled from police. The Police Station had been receiving complaints about an intoxicated man riding erratically around town, and they eventually went to investigate. The twist to the story is that the man was not operating a motor vehicle; he was riding on the back of a horse. Police located the man crossing a street, and the officer thereafter activated his lights attempting to pull the man over.
After instructing the man to dismount the horse, the man took off running from the officers while still on the horse. The police continued to pursue the man with emergency lights on, but without sirens to prevent frightening the horse. After about a half hour, the horse became exhausted, and thereafter the man took off running on foot. He was finally captured by police, and charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and cruelty to animals. However, he was not charged with DWI due to the fact that you cannot be charged with such a crime while riding on a horse. The charge of DWI on a horse does not exist in North Carolina either due to the fact that a horse does not qualify as a vehicle according to the NC DWI statute.
If you or a loved one has been charged with DWI in North Carolina, contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, LLP for a confidential consultation. You can reach us by calling 704-499-9000, or toll-free at 877-374-5999.
May 14, 2013 | DUI & DWI, Felony DUI, Uncategorized
In the State of South Carolina, the law states that it is unlawful to operate a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (B.A.C.) above the 
0.08, or to drive under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. Further, the prosecution must show that the driver was impaired by alcohol or drugs, the level of impairment being based on observations and evidence of driving ability, physical appearance, field sobriety tests and any other relevant evidence which can help prove a persons driving ability was impaired.
Detection of impairment may be difficult at times due to the fact that what may impair one person’s driving ability may not impair another person’s abilities. Therefore, the detecting officer must make several observations that assists in determining probable cause to arrest. These include the following:
- Making a turn too widely or narrowly;
- Almost striking someone;
- Wavering or drifting from one side of the road to another;
- Driving too close to another vehicle;
- Erratic braking;
- Driving on the center lines; and
- Straddling the center line
Regardless of the B.A.C level, one can be charged as being impaired if impairment is proven to the legal extent necessary. If an officer deems that the driver has failed the field sobriety test, or the circumstances surrounding the arrest determine the driver was impaired, they will likely be able to charge the driver with DUI in South Carolina.
If you or a loved one has been charged with DUI in South Carolina, contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, LLP for a confidential consultation. You can reach our Baxter Village office in Fort Mill, South Carolina at 803-548-4444, or toll-free at 877-374-5999.
