Getting Multiple Tickets During a Traffic Stop

When a person is pulled over, they are often charged with more than one crime or infraction.  We often see that people are getting tickets for multiple offenses.  For instance, a charge for Reckless Driving is often accompanied by a speeding charge.  This is one of the most common ones that we see.  There are other tickets that are paired together as well.  But we have seen as many as four violations charged at once.  When that happens, you know that there are serious problems that you could be facing.  People are used to getting charged with a speeding ticket, so getting cited for multiple tickets can be fairly shocking.

When Will an Officer?

One common way that we see multiple violations charged is in DWI cases.  Many times, there was a reason for the initial stop, such as speeding or not maintaining the lane properly.  After the officer smells alcohol or notices other clues of impairment, then he or she will transition into a DWI investigation.  During the course of the investigation, the officer will look for anything else that he or she can charge the person with, such as expired registration or no insurance.  The officer may choose to charge the person with every single violation, or might be allowed to show some mercy on smaller offenses if allowed to do so by department policy.

How Serious is it to be Charged with Multiple Offenses?

It really depends on the seriousness of the underlying charges.  If you have a speeding charge and a registration charge, it is obviously not as serious as a DWI charged with a Reckless Driving offense.

Why Do Officer’s Charge Multiple Offenses?

The simple reason is because there are multiple violations.  The more nuanced reason is that the officers know that some of the tickets may be dismissed, or reduced down.  If they are able to give multiple charges, they will, so that something will “stick” with the person.  Another reason is so that the person will get into compliance with the law.  For example, if the offer pulled the person for speeding, but discovered they did not have a license, and that they did not have their vehicle properly registered.  By getting all of the tickets, the person is given an incentive to get their license and registration before their court date.  The officer knows that if he or she does not give these tickets, there is less of a reason for people to make sure that they are in compliance with the law.

How to Deal With Multiple Offenses?

The strategy may change depending on the situation.  The person may plea to one charge in return for the others being dismissed.  Or, the person may be able to come into compliance so that the District Attorney feels comfortable dismissing the charge.  Your attorney can look at the potential penalties for each offense, and make decisions about what would work out in your best interest. This depends on what you are charged with, and how serious the charges are.  Give us a call to discuss how we may be able to help you.  Our office number is (704) 334-7897.