Georgia Officer Attacked During Traffic Stop

According to reports out of the City of Atlanta, a police officer was bitten and dragged by a car after a routine traffic stop for a minor traffic violation.

The driver allegedly pulled over and complied to begin with but then bit the officer's arm. The driver then attempted to drive away quickly dragging the offer a short distance before he was able to free himself. The driver then crashed into a pole a little way down the street.

As a Georgia DUI Lawyer, I will outline the law behind the criminal offense of obstruction as it is one of the offenses that the driver will be facing.

Obstruction in Georgia

Obstruction in Georgia is defined in the Georgia Code as: misdemeanor obstruction and felony obstruction.

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

Obstruction is related to DUI in Georgia. As a firm focused on DUI defense, we understand how to defend against all DUI related offenses. If you have been arrested, contact our offices today.