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.
Sep 4, 2013 | Criminal Defense, DUI & DWI, Uncategorized
South Carolina, along with essentially every other state in the nation, has adopted what is referred to as the ” implied consent” laws.
In laymen’s terms, ” implied consent” laws simply means that when you apply for a state driver’s license, you have consented to allowing police officers to give you a chemical blood test in the event that you are pulled over under the suspicion of drunk driving.
What this means is that to enjoy your right of driving and using the state’s thoroughfares in doing so, you have also agreed that you can and will be administered a chemical analysis test if the officer believes you have been drinking or using drugs while operating your vehicle.
These test are allowed the be administered even if the officer does not have a search warrant on him. It has been held under both federal and state law that the odor of alcohol or suspicious driving for a certain distances gives the officer enough of what is called “reasonable suspicion,” to administer the test without the warrant.
Although this may seem intrusive, if the driver refuses to blow into the breathalyzer, then the state has held the officer is then entitled to bring the defendant to an authorized location and administer the chemical analysis blood test to determine the defendants Blood Alcohol Level (BAC) at the time of the arrest.
In South Carolina, the allotted BAC level permitted to drive is .08. Anything over that, and sometimes even a little under that, will affect your driving privileges in the state you reside.
If you or someone close to you has been charged with a DUI, or alcohol related crime in South Carolina, make sure that you are covering every possible base. The S.C.G.S. can be a protection measure for many people; it ensures that the scientific tests, which are the most reliable evidence in a DUI case, must be presented through a chemical analyst. At Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, LLP., we will go through each minute detail to ensure that your rights have not been violated. Contact us toll-free at 877-374-5999 for more information on your options.
Aug 26, 2013 | Car Accidents, DUI & DWI, Personal Injury, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
A teen from Chester died early this morning in a single-car collision off of Hinnant Road in Chester County
The Chester County Coroner stated that the cause of death was severe head and chest trauma.
It was about 12:05 a.m., when the 19-year-old was driving his vehicle northbound on S.C. 901, when he swerved off the side of the road, entering into a sharp curve, and rammed his vehicle head on into a tree.
The young man was still attending the Chester County Schools as the time of the accident, trying to get his educational life on track.
He was reported to of NOT of been wearing his seatbelt at the time, and dies immediately on the scene, according to the EMTs who rushed to the scene.
The weather was reported to of been clear and dry that night; however, the victim was believed to of been speeding recklessly on the way to his home
The posted speed limit in the area is a mere 35 m.p.h, whereas the victim was driving nearly double that at 65 m.p.h., much too fast for the curve he embarked into.
There is still an investigation pending, including toxicology tests that may reveal if alcohol or drugs were in the young man’s system at the time of the accident.
Losing a love one is a terrible tragedy to handle. Furthermore, it is not one that should be handled alone. Contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP toll-free at 877-377-5999 and speak to one of our experienced DUI or personal injury attorneys today.
Aug 14, 2013 | Bicycling Accidents, DUI & DWI, Uncategorized
A little after 8:00 p.m. on Monday night, two people were riding their bicycles down a South Carolina country road, when they were abruptly confronted by a speeding vehicle.
The 45-year-old defendant was traveling east on Bay Road, when he rammed his Honda sedan into two pedestrians riding on their bicycles. Afterwards, he left the scene of the crime and sped away.
The defendant was tracked down when eye witnesses reported the type of vehicle that they saw hit the cyclists and then sped away from.
The police were able to take the description of the defendant, in conjunction with the make and model of the vehicle, and tracked the defendant down in his home, where he was subsequently arrested and charged with Driving Under the Influence, and Leaving the Scene of an Accident. Both charges carry serious penalties in South Carolina.
The conditions of the cyclists have not yet been released at the time.
If you or someone you know has been injured in a similar accident, or charged with a DUI, contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP toll-free at 877-374-5999.
Aug 14, 2013 | DUI & DWI, Uncategorized
An officer from Greenville County has just been terminated from his deputy position, after the force caught wind that the officer had been arrested and charged with a DWI in North Car
olina.
The officials have reported that the deputy was driving on Morehead Road in Charlotte, when he was pulled over by a North Carolina trooper for suspicion of driving while impaired, or DWI in North Carolina.
In South Carolina, this charge would be referred to as a DUI, or driving under the influence. However, the result is essentially the same. For more information on the difference between the two, visit the provided link here.
Consequently, as a result of the above mentioned officer’s arrest, he was terminated from his position on the South Carolina Patrol Force.
This termination ended the officer’s ten year stint with the team, as he began working for them in November of 2002.
It is not a crime to drink. However, it is a crime in both North and South Carolina to drink and drive. If you have been charged with a DUI in South Carolina, or a DWI in North Carolina, contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP toll-free at 877-374-5999.
Aug 12, 2013 | Car Accidents, DUI & DWI, Personal Injury, Uncategorized
A 64-year-old Charlotte resident was killed last weekend near U.N.C.C. after his car flipped several times, fatally injuring the man.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation has reported that this accident was caused by a multitude of factors; mainly alcohol and reckless driving though.
The police reports state that judging by the skid marks, the car driven by the now deceased driver, was travelling almost 90 m.p.h. on W.T Harris Boulevard around 3:30 a.m. Many may not know, but the posted speed limit on most of W.T Harris is only 45 m.p.h., as it is not a highway per se.
The speed of the vehicle, combined with the impact of the bank the driver collided into, propelled the car almost a whopping 150 feet from the point of take off. The car then proceeded to flip three times before landing on its hood.
The driver was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident, and was thrown from the vehicle onto the pavement.
The county coroner reports that the man died from crash-related injuries, yet the exact time of death cannot be deduced. Speed and alcohol were reported factors to this heinous accident.
The passenger who was travelling with the victim was also injured, but has since been released and it is believed that he will make a full recovery.
If you have been injured in a car accident such as the aforementioned one, then contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP toll-free at 877-374-5999. Mr. Reeves can assist with both the personal injury and DWI aspects of your case.
