Asheville, North Carolina, Criminal Defense Blog

When a concerned resident sees something that does not appear to be right, he or she will generally notify the proper authorities. If it is a problem with a fixture in an apartment complex, the proper authority would be the ap...

North Carolina roadways are dangerous. All too often, something happens that results in an accident. Sometimes the accident causes only minor damage, and all parties walk away with no harm done. Other times, someone loses their life.  Many times, accidents can have lasting medical, emotional, financial and legal effects on those involved.

Recently, an accident claimed the life of a driver. According to police reports, a 44-year-old man was operating a Toyota Tacoma with a trailer in tow. Apparently, he crossed over into oncoming traffic and collided with a Ford Mustang. The 44-year-old woman driving the Mustang was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, and the driver of the Tacoma was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Flashing lights are often an indicator that there is a problem. When they are ahead of a driver, it is a warning to watch out and possibly move over. However, when these flashing lights are in the rearview mirror, it is often a warning to pull over so that a North Carolina police officer can address something with the driver.

Recently, one North Carolina couple saw flashing lights in the rearview mirror of the Toyota Camry in which they were riding. Apparently, the driver pulled over as indicated. However, something apparently caused the officers to suspect there was a problem. After a K-9 officer searched the vehicle, the couple was arrested.

Those who are pulled over by law enforcement officers for suspected impairment will likely be asked to participate in field sobriety tests. There are three standardized tests used in North Carolina, one being the walk-and-turn test. How is this test performed and does is accurately measure impairment?

The overall purpose of the walk-and-turn test is to measure two things: physical ability and mental state. If an officer suspects that one is impaired, he or she will want to see if one is able to understand directions and perform the exercise correctly. Failure of either part could result in one being arrested and charged for driving under the influence.

As a young college student, you undoubtedly want to do your best to find your way in life as you head out on your own, likely for the first time. Because many individuals in your situation want to fit in as best they can, sometimes you may not make the best decisions. Though the majority of these decisions likely do not have lasting or seriously negative impacts, one wrong choice could potentially land you in legal trouble.

If authorities have brought legal charges against you for underage drinking, the outcome of your case could have serious ramifications. Still, you may wonder whether you could address your predicament without legal assistance.

It is not always easy to predict how a person will react when faced with a stressful situation, such as a police officer attempting to pull a driver over. For some people, the easy answer is to pull over but others may panic. Unfortunately, a teenager in North Carolina faces multiple charges -- including drunk driving -- after police say that he caused an accident while attempting to elude police.

Police claim that the state trooper attempted to pull over the 19-year-old male on the interstate, arguing that the vehicle was speeding. However, the trooper claims that the teenager ignored his flashing lights and exited the interstate. It is unclear how fast the the car was going when the trooper attempted to initiate the stop.