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 15, 2013 | Car Accidents, Criminal Defense, Uncategorized
A Rock Hill liquor store owner was awaken Saturday night by a phone call from the police; only to inform him that his security alarm had been set off.
The owner purchased the store 8 years ago, and has been running it ever since.
By the time the owner made it to his store, the police were already on the scene. Bystanders and employees alike were all staring at the outside of the building, where a vehicle had been driven right into the wall.
Apparently, about 3 feet of the store’s cinder-block wall had been pushed inward; creating massive amounts of damage for both the building and its inventory.
According to the police reports, the driver backed his black SUV into the Liquor store after leaving the Saloon across the street. The time of accident was slightly after 11:00 p.m.
After obtaining the surveillance video from the owner, the police determined that the large vehicle was slowly backing towards the store right before 11:00, when out of no where the driver accelerated the vehicle, slamming it into the side wall.
Not only was the cinder-block wall destroyed, but also layers of glass and plaster protecting the inventory was knocked out, breaking numerous liquor bottles.
The police were unable to read the tag on the vehicle via the surveillance video.
The car’s tag can’t be read from the surveillance video.
It has been estimated that over $3,000 worth of damage was done to the store alone. Additional damages are still being tallied as to the merchandise.
A patron of the bar across the street has given the name of the alleged defendant to the owner. The owner now plans to contact the defendant and discuss payment options to restore his building.
No evidence suggests that anyone was injured from the car accident; except perhaps Mr. Captain Morgan.
If you, or someone you know has been involved in a serious car accident where alcohol was involved, contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP toll-free at 877-374-5999 today.
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.
May 14, 2013 | DUI & DWI, Felony DUI, Uncategorized
A Richland, South Carolina woman, who was the operator of a local school bus, has been charged with DWI as she was on her way to transport
students to school. According to the police report, the bus driver lost control of the school bus while she was driving, which is what caused the police officers to investigate further. Fortunately, the bus driver was the only person within the school bus at the time of the accident. This accident is reported to have occurred at 9:10 a.m. in the morning.
When officers suspected the operator of having been intoxicated at the time of the accident, they thereafter decided to administer a breath-test. When the woman blew into the breathalyzer, the device registered a .17 alcohol content, which is more than double the legal limit in South Carolina. When questioned by the police, the woman stated that she did not have anything to drink that morning; however, she did consume an entire box of wine the previous night. She is being charged with DUI and Child Endangerment.
If you or a loved one has been charged with a DWI or drinking related crime, contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, LLP for a consultation. You can reach our Baxter Village office located in Fort Mill, South Carolina at 803-548-4444, or toll-free at 877-374-5999.
