Virginia traffic laws

[onlyoneKevin]

Please,if there is anyone with knowledge of Virginia traffic laws and punishments;respond to this.I am in need of info on an attempt to elude charge.What actualy constitutes an "attampt".I think it is a judgement on the officers .I was trveling interstatewith multiple cars behind me,almost missed rest area and abruptly turned into it.I had absolutely no idea I was the one he was trying to pull over! I went straight to the restroom because of diarea and when I came out gave the officer no protest at all.I don't understand whre I attempted to elude him!

[Stump]

Why was he trying to pull you over in the first place?

You should be aware of things going on all around you - that is the responsibility of driving.
There is not enough info to give any kind of answers.

[phuzz01]

Let me just get this straight:

A cop had his emergency equipment activated and was trying to pull you over. You exited the highway, drove into a reststop, parked, walked inside the building, and took a dump.

Either your story is lacking some key pieces of information, or it is total bull. And if that is not the case, yes, that is eluding.

Alex

[vadep]

Not enough info to properly answer your question.

Virginia code section 46.2-817: Disregarding signal by law-enforcement officer to stop; eluding police

Basically it reads that any person who, having received a visible or audible signal from a law enforcement officer to stop his vehicle, drives such motor vehicle in a willful and wanton disregard of such signal shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor. If such continuing operation drives in a manner that endangers others, he shall be guilty of a Class 6 Felony. Also even the misdemeanor conviction carries a mandatory minimum license suspension ( 30-90 days depending upon speed).

I just summarized, so if you want the exact wording of the code, go look it up.

If you want a better answer, offer more info. Were you physically arrested (taken before a magistrate) or released on a summons? Did the officer has his siren on? Sounds to me like theres a little more to this than "I didnt realize he was pulling ME over"......

[vadep]

My bad, didnt realize you're probably not aware of the potential punishment for convictions under the above:

Class 3 Misdemeanor= maximum fine of $500 (no jail time)
Class 6 Felony= maximum fine of $2500, 1-5 years jail time

What is an attempt? Just that, an attempt to commit a crime. Of course there is some degree of officer judgement involved, thats what you pay us for. Ask yourself this: would a reasonable person placed in the same cir***stances have reached the same conclusion?

If you were taken before a magistrate, then the magistrate would have have to determined that probable cause existed for the issue of the warrant. If you were released on a summons, then you were charged with the misdemeanor variant, and you will have a chance to present the facts, as you see them, in court.

If the facts are as you tell them, consider yourself lucky. If you were so distracted that you failed to realize or see those flashing blue lights in your mirror, then you should not have been driving. Furthermore, you say you were

"trveling interstatewith multiple cars behind me,almost missed rest area and abruptly turned into it"

Sounds like reckless driving to me....

[navyfiveo]

I am kind of going back and reading what I missed over the last month or so. VADEP hit it right on the head. When you go to court, the best thing you can do is explain to the judge exactly what happened. I do know that traveling on I-65's 2 lane areas can make it difficult sometimes to see Police Cars even with their lights on and if the Trooper happens to get stuck behind alot of traffic that makes the case even worse.

VADEP, what Dept are you with?