According to recent reports, the state of Alabama has now made it a felony to flee from law enforcement while driving a motor vehicle. This new law aims to deter individuals from trying to evade the police and emphasizes the seriousness of the offense. Specifically, those found guilty of this crime can face harsh legal consequences and penalties.
According to Eric Blankenship, the Sheriff of Henry County, individuals who engage in high-speed police chases may face more severe consequences. He cautions everyone to reconsider before engaging in such behavior.
The offense used to be considered a misdemeanor, but if someone was hurt or killed during the chase, it could be upgraded to a felony. However, the consequences are now much more severe.
According to Blankenship, a man who had been caught with drugs managed to escape the police, but was eventually arrested by the Henry County Sheriff’s Office on Monday night.
According to Blankenship, the incident resulted in the escalation of the charges to a class B felony, with the sentencing guidelines set much higher for eluding than for the drug charges. “He” made this decision automatically, which ultimately had serious consequences for the accused.
As per Blankenship and the legislators who advocated for this change, the primary objective behind the law was to ensure safety.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, from 1996 to 2015, Alabama held the unfortunate distinction of ranking first among states for pursuit-related fatalities per 100,000 residents. Recently, in June of this year, a tragic incident occurred in Daleville where a man lost his life as a result of leading police on a high-speed chase. In an effort to protect law enforcement officials, suspects, and innocent bystanders, it is hoped that stricter penalties will be imposed for this offense, thus reducing the number of fatalities.
According to the updated regulations, if you drive more than 20 miles per hour over the speed limit, you will be charged with a class B felony. This means that the offense will be considered as severe as manslaughter and could result in a prison sentence of 2 to 20 years.
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