Roanoke Virginia Criminal Defense Law Blog

Strategies in response to traffic violations

On behalf of Robert F. Rider, PLC posted in traffic violations on Monday, May 25, 2020.

There is likely not a single driver in Virginia or across the country who has not at some point driven faster than the posted speed limit. Unfortunately, getting a ticket for such an action can ultimately have serious professional and financial consequences. While some people may believe that they have no choice but to pay fines associated with allegations of several different traffic violations, there are other options available to them.

One strategy is disputing the officer's version of events. Many tickets are the result of a police officer's subjective judgment of events, such as driving unsafely or making an unsafe lane change. For example, if there is heavy traffic and a police officer was in front of the alleged violator, the latter could argue that the officer's attention was likely more focused on the conditions in front of him or her rather than what was happening behind.

Virginia police pursuit leads to crash, DUI charge

On behalf of Robert F. Rider, PLC posted in dui defense on Sunday, May 17, 2020.

Most drivers in Virginia are safe and committed to following laws; however, even safe drivers can sometimes be accused of driving too fast, for example. Unfortunately, an unexpected confrontation with law enforcement officers can be overwhelming, and the potential for one could cause some drivers to panic. In fact, police have accused a driver of DUI after they say he refused to stop for a police officer.

A Virginia State Police trooper claims to have noticed a 39-year-old driver driving over the speed limit during the late afternoon hours of a day in May. The trooper claims that the driver refused to stop, prompting a pursuit. The driver allegedly came to a stop after leaving the interstate and striking three vehicles at an intersection.

Reckless driving charge follows fatal Virginia Crash

On behalf of Robert F. Rider, PLC posted in traffic violations on Monday, May 11, 2020.

The vast majority of drivers in Virginia are committed to safety. Unfortunately, even relatively minor miscalculations can have severe consequences. In fact, a woman is now charged with reckless driving following a recent crash that resulted in the death of a teenager.

The incident reportedly happened in the evening hours of a day in early May. According to reports, a 35-year-old woman was driving a sports utility when she attempted a left turn from a side road into the northbound lanes of another roadway. Unfortunately, reports indicate that after her vehicle crossed the median, it was struck by a northbound sedan.

Can a breath test really be inaccurate?

On behalf of Robert F. Rider, PLC on Monday, May 4, 2020.

Breathalyzer tests are one of the main ways that officers determine if people are over the legal alcohol limit. These breath tests are normally pretty accurate, but there are issues that could make them inaccurate and lead to false positives.

For example, did you know that having a higher body temperature could affect your Breathalyzer test? When your body is warmer, there is higher volatility and more alcohol may be expelled. It's believed that differences in how the blood is composed could also impact tests. Sometimes, lower readings are achieved by taking a test before the alcohol has been fully absorbed into the blood.

Drunk driving arrest made after fatal Virginia crash

On behalf of Robert F. Rider, PLC posted in dui defense on Monday, May 4, 2020.

Police officers likely encounter incidents, such as car accidents, that have multiple similarities to one another. For example, they may see a number of car accidents that happen during the evening hours that are connected with drunk driving. Because of this, it may be easy to make assumptions about the cause of an accident that happens at a certain time. It is unclear what led police to believe that a Virginia man was under the influence of alcohol when a fatal accident happened.

The incident happened at approximately 9 p.m. on a day in early May. First responders arrived at the scene of an accident near an intersection. Reports indicate that a sedan and sports utility vehicle were involved.

Virginia driver charged with reckless driving, pedestrian injured

On behalf of Robert F. Rider, PLC posted in traffic violations on Monday, April 27, 2020.

Because many people spend so much time behind the wheel of a vehicle, it is sometimes easy to forget just how quickly an accident can happen and the potential harm that a collision can cause. In fact, even the safest of drivers can make a mistake or miscalculation that could result in an accident. Unfortunately, a Virginia driver is now charged with reckless driving following an accident that reportedly sent a man to the hospital.

The incident happened during the afternoon hours of a day in late March. According to reports made by the Virginia State Police, a 54-year-old woman was headed east on a Virginia road. It is believed that she lost control of her vehicle.

DUI suspected in fatal Virginia car accident

On behalf of Robert F. Rider, PLC posted in dui defense on Monday, April 20, 2020.

It is sometimes difficult to fully appreciate the fact that a single, relatively minor miscalculation when driving can have severe, even fatal consequences. Unfortunately, a recent car accident in Virginia has now resulted in a fatality and an arrest. State police believe that driving under the influence, or DUI, was a factor.

The incident happened during the early morning hours of a day in early April. According to police reports, a 38-year-old man was driving a sedan; though police claim that speed was involved, it was unclear how fast the vehicle was traveling at the time of the accident. Unfortunately, the vehicle is said to have ran off the left side of the road, and the driver overcorrected.

I-81 car crash in Virginia leads to reckless driving charge

On behalf of Robert F. Rider, PLC posted in traffic violations on Monday, April 13, 2020.

A car accident can happen at any time of the day or night. Often, events change so quickly that drivers do not have an opportunity to properly respond before a collision occurs. Unfortunately, a driver in Virginia now faces a reckless driving charge following an accident that remains under investigation.

The incident reportedly happened just before 3 a.m. on a day in early April. According to reports, a 34-year-old man was headed south on I-81. Though police say that the man was traveling at a high rate of speed, it is unclear how fast he is believed to have been driving at the time of the collision. Unfortunately, his vehicle reportedly struck a sports utility vehicle that was also headed south.

Doctor shopping can lead to big problems

On behalf of Robert F. Rider, PLC on Monday, April 6, 2020.

You may not realize that you could face arrest for visiting multiple physicians in order to get prescriptions for opioid drugs and other scheduled medications. This practice, known colloquially as "doctor shopping," can land you in jail here in Virginia.

If you were arrested on charges of doctor shopping, your life could change markedly. We'll explore the issue some more in this blog entry.

Virginia man accused of reckless driving after car accident

On behalf of Robert F. Rider, PLC posted in traffic violations on Monday, April 6, 2020.

The vast majority of motor vehicle drivers in Virginia are committed to driving safely. However, car accidents can happen so quickly -- even to the safest of drivers -- that drivers may not have time to respond. Unfortunately, one man now faces a charge of reckless driving following an accident involving a state trooper.

The incident happened on a day in late March. According to reports, the state trooper was in a vehicle on a median that was closed. Reports indicate that another driver on the interstate lost control of his pickup truck. As a result, the truck is said to have struck the trooper's vehicle from behind.