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Engaging Police in Pursuit
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Full Read: 2 minutes
Engaging Police in Pursuit
When you see those red and blue lights behind you, it’s natural to panic. You probably feel nervous and don’t want to deal with law enforcement. Your natural instinct might be to drive away and try to avoid the situation. But, if the police are trying to pull you over, this is actually not a good idea. By speeding up and driving away, you do something called engaging police in pursuit. While this might seem like it isn’t a big deal, it is a crime in the state of Connecticut. Here, you can learn more about this crime and what to do if charged with it.
Engaging Police in Pursuit
It is against the law to attempt to escape a police officer when they signal for you to stop your motor vehicle. This action is considered engaging the police in pursuit, because it forces law enforcement to follow you in order to discuss a potential motor vehicle violation with you. If you do try to engage law enforcement in pursuit, you could face charges for the following crimes:
- Class A misdemeanor, for a first offense. The penalty for this crime includes having your license suspended for one year by the DMV.
- Class C felony, if this action causes the serious injury or death of someone else, or if you are facing a second or third offense. The penalties for a Class C felony are:
- Your license will be suspended for 1.5-2 years.
- You face a jail sentence of at least one year.
These penalties for engaging police in pursuit are oftentimes much more serious than facing a simple speeding ticket or most other motor vehicle violations. It is better to stop and comply with police rather than face these more serious penalties.
Getting Help
It is in your best interest to cooperate with an officer if they pull you over while you are operating a motor vehicle. Even if you do not want the police to search your car or your person, it is never a good idea to avoid the police. This will only make the situation worse for you. For help with this violation, or any other motor vehicle violation, it is a good idea to get in touch with a lawyer.
