During a Routine Traffic Stop Georgia Man Throws Crack Cocaine Out of the Window of his Vehicle

According to reports in Douglas County, a routine traffic stop turned into a hectic scene one night this week. Winston McCray has been arrested for allegedly throwing a ziplock bag full of cocaine out the window of his car and fleeing officers after they attempted to pull him over.
According to police, McCray was swerving, and therefore, they attempted to pull him over for failure to maintain lane in Georgia. McCray allegedly led officers on a brief chase before pulling over and cooperating. 

As a Georgia DUI Lawyer, I will focus on the criminal offense of fleeing an officer in Georgia in today's post.

Fleeing or Attempting to Elude an Officer in Georgia

Fleeing or attempting to elude an officer in Georgia is defined by the Georgia Code as:

It shall be unlawful for any driver of a vehicle willfully to fail or refuse to bring his or her vehicle to a stop or otherwise to flee or attempt to elude a pursuing police vehicle or police officer when given a visual or an audible signal to bring the vehicle to a stop. The signal given by the police officer may be by hand, voice, emergency light, or siren. The officer giving such signal shall be in uniform prominently displaying his or her badge of office, and his or her vehicle shall be appropriately marked showing it to be an official police vehicle. O.C.G.A. §40-6-395(a).

Fleeing or attempting to elude is classified as a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature in Georgia the majority of the time.  However, as a Georgia DUI Attorney, I must note that there are situations that can make this offense a felony. One of these such situations is fleeing in traffic conditions that place the general public at risk of receiving serious injuries. Another is striking or colliding with another vehicle or pedestrian. 

Practice Note

McCray is facing some serious charges. Routine traffic violations are serious, but add on top the other offenses that he has been accused of committing, and he is facing some severe consequences if convicted. This is where hiring representation is the safest and most secure route if you or a loved one has been arrested. 

Our offices have over 50 years of combined experience, and we specialize in serious traffic violations including drug possession and DUI in Georgia. 

Contact us today.