Massachusetts State Police announced that an arrest has been made in the case of a motorcyclist believed to have been traveling on highways around the greater Boston area at speeds in excess of 100 MPH, and using the breakdown lanes in order to evade police for several weeks.The 29 year old motorcyclist was recently arraigned on various charges, including reckless driving and speeding. An arrest was made on Tuesday morning, after the motorcyclist was found allegedly hiding behind a tractor-trailer in a parking lot in Randolph, just minutes after he was seen speeding along Route 24, where he was also reportedly making sudden lane changes, traveling in the median, and traveling south in a northbound lane.
A State Trooper reported that on a prior occasion, when he activated his lights, the driver flipped down his clear visor, and sped off at approximately 100 miles per hour. The motorcycle on which the man was riding had no license plates, and his helmet obscured his features. Another trooper reported a similar exchange, whereby the man reportedly took off onto the sidewalk, and then down the wrong side of the road. State Police reportedly posted information regarding the wanted motorcyclist on Facebook and Twitter, which led to a trucker informing police when he saw the motorcyclist behind his tractor trailer.
We typically think of motor vehicle offenses as being limited to things such as tickets, traffic court, etc. However, in some cases, driving can lead to additional criminal charges, such as when a homicide results, or with alleged reckless driving, as in this case.
Under Massachusetts law, a person can be held criminally liable if they operate a motor vehicle recklessly or if they operate a motor vehicle negligently so as to endanger. A conviction of either of these two offenses carries with it a potential fine of $20-$200, or a mandatory prison sentence of 2 weeks, for up to two years, or both the fine and the imprisonment.
In the legal sense, recklessness occurs when an individual disregards the fact that the manner in which they are driving is very likely to result in death or serious injury to someone, or that individual is indifferent to whether or not someone could be killed or seriously injured as a result of the dangerous driving. A person can be found to have driven recklessly even if no accident resulted, and even if there was no one else actually on the road near him.
If you have had your driving privileges suspended or revoked for any reason and have been cited for Operating Recklessly or Negligently So As to Endanger, consult an experienced Boston, Massachusetts reckless driving defense attorney. Attorney Patrick J. Murphy has been practicing criminal defense law in Massachusetts for nearly two decades, and as a result of his expertise, hard work, and legal acumen has acquired favorable outcomes or acquittals for his clients. Contact us today, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in order to arrange for your free and confidential legal assessment of your case. You can reach Attorney Patrick J. Murphy by calling 617-367-0450 or through this website.
More Blog Posts:
Winthrop Auxiliary Police Officer Arrested on Drug Charges, Boston Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog, published October 17, 2013
Several Arrests Following Housing Rights Demonstration, Boston Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog, published October 10, 2013