Suspect Attempts to Throw Hall County Deputy Over a Railing

Hall County Courthouse

Hall County, Ga. - An inmate at Hall County Jail who is awaiting trial on armed robbery and felony murder charges is facing two new charges of obstruction.

The charges stem from an incident this week where the inmate attempted to fight a deputy after refusing to return to his cell. He allegedly lunged at one of the deputies, physically picked him up, and attempted to throw him from the top railing. Another inmate actually helped to break up the incident.

Although this seems like a very violent and serious incident (which it is) the charges faced by the inmate are also quite often seen in cases involving DUI in Georgia. As a Georgia DUI Lawyer, I will outline the offense of obstruction in today's post.

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

If arrested for a DUI or any other DUI related offense, call our offices now. We can help you determine what the next right action is with your case.