STREET RACING ATTORNEYS
IN ORANGE COUNTY
For those who love and enjoy their wheels, customizing their vehicles and racing are a way of life. But in recent years in Orange County, there have been numerous serious traffic accidents involving severe injuries and fatalities involving incidents of street racing. Racing on a public street, roadway, highway or freeway is a crime according to California law. And when a street racing incident involves injuries or fatalities, there is a very good chance you will be charged with a felony, which means you may lose your vehicle, your license and your freedom. This could mean serious jail or prison time. In the case of a fatality, you could even be charged with vehicular manslaughter or murder.
According to the California Highway Patrol, a first conviction on a street racing violation means:
- Minimum county jail sentence of 24 hours and maximum of 90 days
- Vehicle probably impounded for at least 30 days
- Owner responsible for vehicle's towing and storage charges ($1,000 or more)
- If owner fails to pay, vehicle could be sold at a lien sale
- Anyone who aids or abets a street race also faces a maximum 90-day jail sentence
California is also one of the states that recently tightened its laws and made penalties stiffer for those indulging in illegal street or drag racing. In 2006, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed off on legislation that targets illegal street racing in California. The legislation allows prosecutors to seek increased penalties when drivers engage in reckless driving or speed contests that cause bodily injury to another person.
This bill requires a person convicted of engaging in a motor vehicle speed contest that causes one or more specified injuries to a person other than the driver to be punished by time in county jail or state prison between 30 days and six months, or with a fine between $500 and $1,000. An offender may also face imprisonment and fines.
If you have been charged with illegal street racing, you need an Orange County street racing defense attorney who will stand by you, protect your legal rights and achieve the best possible results for you. Our Orange County reckless driving lawyers at Coffey & Coffey will investigate your case and gather evidence to build your defense. We will represent you at a trial or in a plea bargain, make court motions and seek to reduce your sentence so you may prevent jail time or lower your fines. Call Coffey & Coffey to schedule to discuss your case and take control of your life.
THAT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE!
1-800-706-7888
