[Samel_Camel]

A few weekends ago, I was heading home late at night and pulled up next to another yellow SRT-4. Needless to say, we both got on it and after running them up a bit, pulled into the turning lane to turn. A few seconds later, lights start flashing behind us. The cop tells us both to pull over. He gave me the basic "Do you know how fast you were going?" I was being honest and apologized and said I was paying attention to the car next to me. I told him I knew that I was in the top of 3rd gear. In the end, he gave me a ticket that said "Wreckless driving." No speed or other details, just "wreckless driving."

I now have people telling me I need a lawyer or that I'm getting my license suspended. I don't have any other tickets and I'm trying to figure out what to do. I don't even like to drive around anymore....

Flame away, but please give me information regarding Johnson County in Indiana please. I will not do this again.

Thanks,


Sam

 

[SRT(in)Miami]

get a traffic lawyer, best solution for you.....If he didn't post the device on which he clocked you on, then he does not have proof of how fast you were going... I have gotten speeding tickets, and when you get one by radar..the cop usually posts the device # on the ticket stating what device he used to calculate your speed...this should easily be dismissed if there's no proof...talk to a traffic lawyer...they're like 60bucks..
I've also gotten one with "excessive speed" posted on mine, but got it dismissed by traffic lawyer...no proof...

good luck

 

[Samel_Camel]

I'm not sure how accurate that would be for me. He pulled the other car over too. Two 2003 yellow SRT-4's pulled over. We got pulled over for racing more than speed (I think) so he probably felt it was sufficient to just put wreckless driving on there.

I don't know.......

-Sam

 

[pierce195]

This is from the 2004 Indiana Motor Vehilces Code

9-21-8-52 reckless driving offenses
Sec. 52 A Person who operates a vehilce and who recklessly:
(1) drives at such an unreasonably high rate of sepped or at such an unreasonably low rate of speedn under the cirumstances as to:
(A) endange the saftey or the property of others; or
(B) block the proper flow of traffic;
(2) passes another vehilce from the rear while on a slope or on a curve where vision is obstructed for a distance of less than five hundred (500) fee ahead;
(3) drives in and out of a line of traffic, except as otherwise permitted;
(4) speeds up or refuses to give one half (1/2) of the roadway to a driver overtaking and desiring to pass; or
(5) passes a school bus stopped on a roadway when the arm signal device specified in IC 20-9.1-5-14 is in the device's extended position;
commits a Class B misdemenor
(b) If an offense under subsection (a) results in damage to the property of another person, the court shall recommend the suspension of the current driving license of the person for a fixied period of:
(1) not less than thirty (30) days; and
(2) not more than one (1) year.

After all that the good news is if you are conviced that the judge does not have to suspended your license, but from county to county in Indiana it is up to the judge. Also because it is a misdemeanor offense the State has to prove that you did commit the offense of Reckless Driving, with the Officer as a witness. That means you can take it all the way to a jury trial if you need to. I would talk with the County Prosecutors Office to see if you can get it reduced to Speed Contest or Speeding.

Good luck and I hope this will help you out.

 

[Samel_Camel]

Thank you for the information, Pierce. Please be very careful when on the southside of Indianapolis. They're thick through here.

I'll let you know how it goes next week.

-Sam

 

[big_n8_dawg]

your lucky man.
in texas they would have taken you
straight to jail and impounded your car.

 

[Digichris]

IN florida I once got a reckless driving charge for hitting the ebrake in a 3 lane divided highway turn-around area. I went from the most inside lane going N through the turn around area and ended facing the S in the inside lane driving off in one continious motion. It was late at night and there where no cars on the road so I didn't think much of it. Well little did I know there was a speed trap about 1/4 mile ahead. I got pulled over the cop gave me a reckless driving ticket said he was impressed with my driving but US 41 was not a race track. I apologized and he let me go. I just made an appreance to court had no previous record and the judge dropped it down to not following a posted sign. I would still send a traffic lawyer just incase the judge didn't get laid the night before.

 

[dakotart1]

Thank you for the information, Pierce. Please be very careful when on the southside of Indianapolis. They're thick through here.

I'll let you know how it goes next week.

-Sam

Talk to the Prosecutor and try to get the ticket deferred. You will have to pay the amount the ticket would be (Deferment Fee), however, it doesn't go on your license if you stay ticket free for a year. If you get another ticket during that time it does go on your record and you have to pay the ticket. If you have a good driving record, it should be no problem and will end up costing you less than getting a Lawyer. I did it when my son got a ticket for 87 in a 40.

 

[gipfiddle2]

Did somebody say a 60 dollar lawer! Maybe 260.00!

 

[iupui1299]

Was this on US 31? Man, I am done driving around down there....cops everywhere. I am lucky I have never gotten pullled over. Oh and..did you win?

 

[Samel_Camel]

Was this on US 31? Man, I am done driving around down there....cops everywhere. I am lucky I have never gotten pullled over. Oh and..did you win?

Yeah Bobby. It was about 1:30 AM in the morning and I was planning on going home, but couldn't resist running against a "loud mouth" SRT-4 driver (young kid that revs on everybody.)

Guess we both lost that race.

-Sam

 

[iupui1299]

Yeah Bobby. It was about 1:30 AM in the morning and I was planning on going home, but couldn't resist running against a "loud mouth" SRT-4 driver (young kid that revs on everybody.)

Guess we both lost that race.

-Sam

It's hard to resist sometimes when their "loud mouths". It sucks what happened. I just know your car is wicked with the juice and I figured you whooped him pretty bad....but your right...unfortunately, in the end you both lost. If it was State Police I could help you out.

 

[pierce195]

I dont know if he can get deferment because the offense was reckless driving
(misdemenor), but I am not sure what he was doing falling under that statue. I could see a ticket for speed contest or even speeding, but not reckless driving. If it was 1:30 AM I dont see how he was endangering others property unless the roadway had heavy traffic on it. I think you may be able to beat the ticket, at least in the fact you were issued a ticket for the wrong offense.

 

[Samel_Camel]

I dont know if he can get deferment because the offense was reckless driving
(misdemenor), but I am not sure what he was doing falling under that statue. I could see a ticket for speed contest or even speeding, but not reckless driving. If it was 1:30 AM I dont see how he was endangering others property unless the roadway had heavy traffic on it. I think you may be able to beat the ticket, at least in the fact you were issued a ticket for the wrong offense.

I believe the police officer considered it "wreckless driving" due to the excessive speeds achieved during the "speed contest." The office claimed that he gunned us at 97mph. No one was shown the gun and it was not recorded on the ticket. As a matter of fact, the ticket only says "wreckless driving." I do not believe there is any indication of any device used to take a speed reading. I think he was purposely trying to be nice. Maybe even give me a loophole? Had I met the officers at any other time we probably could have had a nice long conversation about cars.

As a matter of fact, we sat there for about 30 minutes after talking about cars and stuff. Talking about what new police cars they may have in the future. Talking about my nitrous setup. The cop writing the ticket told me a story about his 95 first gen neon and the head gasket problems..... They seemed more concerned with all the drunks they had encountered that evening.

-Sam

 

[Samel_Camel]

Just double-checked the ticket. It's a "summons" ticket. It only says "reckless driving" on it at the bottom. That is all.

-Sam

 

[pierce195]

Is it a complaint summons or an information summons. This is how you will know if it was an infraction or misdemeanor. Also for it to be reckless driving you need excess speed and endangerment of others property or blocking the follow of traffic. It can't be issued only on excesive speed.

 

[Samel_Camel]

It's an complaint/information and summons. The wording has complaint AND information put together on the same line. County of Johnson. City of Greenwood.


-Sam

 

[pierce195]

There sould be a place were it is marked information summons or complaint summons. Did the Officer ask you to sign the ticket?

 

[pierce195]

If they are on the same line the Officer should circle the one that applies to the citation being issued.

 

[Samel_Camel]

Nothing is circled. The officer DID ask me to sign the ticket. Basically, he said that by me signing it would be my promise that I would show up for the court date. They were being awfully nice to me. We sat there and talked for like 30 minutes after the ticket about cars and stuff.

I wonder if he purposely didn't fill out part of the ticket? I doubt it.

-Sam


PS. The complaint/informational is only listed at the top of the ticket in the heading. There is nothing for them to circle at the bottom of the ticket.