Atlanta Police Arrest Organizers of Street Races

Atlanta Municipal Court

Atlanta, Ga. – Atlanta Police have recently made two major arrests related to the illegal street races that have been occurring over the last several months.

Officers arrested two men during a street race near Northside Drive. It resulted in individuals throwing lit fireworks at officers. Two of those individuals were identified as “known organizers” of the recent street races. Both were arrested for obstruction and illegal use of fireworks.

As a Georgia DUI Lawyer, I have been covering many of the events and arrests related to racing in Georgia. In today's post, I will cover the offense of obstruction as that is the crime the organizer was arrested for.

Obstruction in Georgia

O.C.G.A. §16-10-24 outlines the crime of obstruction in Georgia. Obstruction can be charged as a felony or as a misdemeanor depending on the nature of the offense.

Misdemeanor obstruction is defined in O.C.G.A. §16-10-24(a) as:

When a person knowingly or willfully obstructs or hinders any law enforcement officer in the lawful discharge of his official duties.

The penalty for a misdemeanor conviction in Georgia is a fine up to $1,000, jail time up to one year, or both. It can also come with community service, anger management classes, or any other punishments allowed under the misdemeanor sentencing laws of Georgia.

Felony obstruction is defined in O.C.G.A. §16-10-24(b) as:

When a person knowingly and willfully resists, obstructs, or opposes any law enforcement officer, prison guard, correctional officer, community supervision officer, probation officer, or conservation officer in the lawful discharge of his or her official duties by offering or doing violence to the person.

The penalty for a felony obstruction conviction is a prison term between one and five years. In addition to any prison term imposed, the accused will pay a fine of at least $300. Furthermore, the penalty could include community service and anger management classes.

Practice Note

We can help you with your case today if you have been arrested for obstruction or any other offense related to DUI in Georgia.