Dlin23

(under 18)I was driving home at around 1230-1 at night. On lee hwy i saw many lights and a sign that said lane closed. All i saw was headlights soo i thought that there was a big accident, so i made a improper u-turn because i thought there was no way to go. I go down like quarter mile and a cop pulls me over for making that improper u turn. I tell him that i saw the sign lane closed and i saw many flares and orange lights and cop cars, so i thought there was a big crash and they closed the lanes. He then asked for my license and registration. I asked him what was going on down there and he told me a sobriety check was going on. So i was like OOO O_O. Then he asked if i drank obviously i wasn't drunk. then he goes to his car..... after like 10 mins he comes back and tells me to step out of the car. He then tells me that he has to give me the alcohol test soo i took it and it was 0... (like i told him i wasn't drinking i was just going home from my girlfriends house). I also told him that my mom knew i was coming home. Then he gives me a ticket for improper u turn.. i tell him that it was confusing with those lights and like there was a sign that said lanes closed.. he then tells me there were signs saying sobriety check.. which there wasn't. Then he gives me another for under age of 18 driving past midnight... (i never knew people actually got these...) Then i proceed on telling him that this is like my first time seeing a sobriety checkpoint and i didn't know what it actually was.. I rarely drive past midnight..soo then i had to go back there....and while i was waiting for the check ,one of the cops was like nice car.. but i couldn't really smile and say.. thank you thank you because i got these 2 stupid tickets. Then the next cop i see was a lady and she was like nice car...I was just soo pissed at that time. Then finally i get to the cop that checked me.. i showed him the ticket that i got from the cop for the u turn and that, that cop already tested me.. and he couldn't believe that the cop gave me one for improper u turn because he said that it is somewhat confusing.(i just looked and noded). I just went home after that with massive anger.. My question is does anyone know how many points i will get for these 2 tickets and how bad are they...Also how would i tell the judge when i go to court for these tickets.. I am really pissed for the officer who gave me these 2.. my record was clean and i told him nothing but the truth. Those lanes were very confusing.....All i saw was a big orange sign taht said lane closed. But that officer still gave me tickets.. not just 1 but gave me 2.....Can anyone help me out?

MTCD01

You do realize that you are in the wrong here. All sobriety checks have at least one officer at each end waiting for runners (people that make illegal or legal U-turns to avoid a DUI/DWI) and your behavior was suspicious. You were also under 18 driving past midnight (I didn't even know this law existed). Unfortunately you got a grumpy/bored/by the book cop that sighted you for both.

Whenever you see a huge gathering of cop cars with cones and no fire/rescue vehicles after midnight it is means sobriety check (there will usually be at least one tow truck on hand to impound vehicles). Aside from the lack of fire/rescue vehicles I can see how you would think that this was some sort of huge accident.

I have no idea if the driving after 12 while 18 even counts as a moving violation (but you could look it up and see).
The improper U-turn is prolly (guessing) 2 points for 3 years.

If you go to court you could get lucky and have the officer pull a no-show or you could go to the driver improvement class to get it dropped.

Mugatu

iTrader: (1)

i would go to court anyway, you have absolutely NOTHING to lose, and everything to gain. If you explain the situation, you should at least be able to get out of the U-turn ticket. As far as the driving past midnight one, well if that's the law, you're screwed. but if the cop doesn't show up, then you're clear on both accounts.

ALWAYS go to court. NEVER plead guilty. EVER. You will never get anything worse than your original ticket, so why not go and have the chance of getting it lowered or even dismissed?

RXGr8

Well, If you lose in court, you will still have to pay the ticket fines, plus additional "court costs" which would probably be $50 or $60 bucks. But if you win, the court pays the costs. At least that's the way it is in VA.

Mugatu

iTrader: (1)

Here in NY, you pay a surcharge REGARDLESS if you go to court or if you send it in and plead guilty.

marcj1

As stated above, do go to court...sometimes, if nothing else, you'll still have to pay the fines but they may make the points disappear.

Peakster

Interesting. Why was the U-turn illegal? Was there a no U-turn sign there?
Check out this article from The Washington Post last weekend. Falls Church cops are REQUIRED to hand out at least 3 tickets per shift.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2004Aug7.html

RPIRX-8

More often than not just explaining your story doesn't work. The unfortunate truth is cops can and will lie on the stand to convict you. More unfortunately there is nothing you can do about it, its your word against the cop. The BEST way to defend yourself is to attack specific parts of the evidence against you. You are INNOCENT until proven GUILTY. After they prosecution rests, ask them to present evidence of:

1. your improper u-turn
2. there were signs saying there was a sobriety check BEFORE the sign saying the lane was closed.
3. check to see if there is a law that requires you to pass through this sobriety check (this should be a last resort).

This sobriety check was nothing more than a money making scam for the town/county.