Michigan Criminal Lawyers Blog
Just over two weeks ago, a Marion County SC Sheriff’s deputy was involved in a crash with a man driving a moped. The man riding the moped, 68-year-old Kenneth Killingsworth, died. It was after the tragic accident that it was discovered the deputy’s driver’s license had been suspended.
According to a news article at CBS 46, the accident occurred in south Mullins near U.S. 76 on Gapway Street. The dash camera in the deputy’s vehicle was inoperable due to a lack of funding, so the accident was not captured on video. There was visible damage to the windshield of the patrol car, and pieces of the moped were scattered along the street. News reports do not indicate the speed of the patrol vehicle or moped at the time, or how the accident occurred.
The Marion County Sheriff’s office did some checking, and found that the deputy was driving on a suspended license. He has been placed on leave since the accident, without pay. According to Sheriff Mark Richardson, a license check was performed when the deputy was hired on to the department in August of 2013, and again in January of this year prior to the deputy going to the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy. Another check had not been done since that time, and the deputy’s license had been suspended in February after he neglected to pay a traffic violation in another county.
While it is tragic that a man lost his life in an accident, this is one example of why no one should drive on a suspended license. Michigan driver’s license reinstatement lawyers know there are emergency situations in which someone with a suspended or revoked license will take the chance. Many people with suspended licenses even drive when there is no emergency situation, thinking they will never get caught. An accident can occur at any time, as indicated in this tragic story. Driving on a suspended or revoked license will result in an even longer suspension period, fines, and possibly jail time.
In cases where someone who is driving on a suspended license is involved in an accident and an individual is killed, the driver may be charged with a felony offense and face up to 15 years in prison, along with other penalties.
Whether your driver’s license was suspended because of failure to pay a citation, multiple DUI’s, failure to pay child support, or for any other reason, consult with an experienced Michigan driver’s license restoration lawyer with a winning track record.