Articles Posted in Driver’s License Restoration

Most people who have had their driver’s license suspended know that if they take a risk and drive anyway, they better not flaunt the fact. Not so with a man who led police on a high-speed chase on his motorcycle and recorded the event with a bike-mounted camera before loading it up on YouTube. This incident occurred in Illinois in October of 2012.

31-year-old Hamza Ali Ben Ali was convicted last month of driving with a suspended license and aggravated fleeing/eluding police according to the Latin Post. Ali was riding a Honda CBR 1000 motorcycle when police attempted to pull him over, but he decided to have a little fun – while putting other people’s lives in danger.

On top of provoking police to chase him from a gas station he had pulled in to, Ali was wearing a GPS anklet due to past crimes he had committed. News reports indicate that the anklet recorded Ali’s speed in addition to his location; during the chase, he hit speeds of 115 mph. Ali put the final nail in the coffin by posting the video taken from a camera on his bike to YouTube.

Ali was sentenced to four years in prison.

Choosing to lead police on a high speed chase while wearing a GPS monitor and having a suspended license probably isn’t the smartest thing someone could do, but people do things that don’t make sense all the time. Perhaps it was the thrill of the chase. Unfortunately, Ali will no doubt lead a fairly dull life for the next four years while behind bars.

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Two weeks ago, 31-year-old Aaron Joseph Zvonek was driving his pick-up truck on SH-11 just north of US 64 in Alfalfa County when he was pulled over by an Oklahoma Highway patrol trooper who could not see his license plate.

According to Alva Review- Courier, Trooper Lisa Jorgensen pulled the pick-up over just before 10 p.m. on May 27. Upon requesting Zvonek’s driver’s license, she was presented with an Oklahoma ID card. Zvonek explained that he did not have a driver’s license. Jorgensen had the driver sit inside the patrol car while she ran a check on him.

Upon checking, Jorgensen found out that Zvonek’s driver’s license had actually been revoked. In the meantime, she noticed an odor of alcohol and questioned him regarding the amount he had drank. He replied that he had drank a few beer earlier. At this point, Jorgensen went to the passenger side of Zvonek’s truck and requested the passenger step out of the vehicle. Once she had a clear view into the truck, Jorgensen saw an open can of beer in the center console’s cup holder, and five cold beers remaining in a six pack of Bud Light. Zvonek would not take a breath test, but performed several field sobriety tests when requested by Jorgensen.

Ultimately, Zvonek was charged with DUI and driving while license is revoked. He was arrested and taken to the Alfalfa County Jail.

Michigan driver’s license reinstatement attorneys understand that in certain situations, an individual whose license has been revoked has no choice other than to drive, such as in a medical emergency. However, it is fairly clear that this was not the case with Mr. Jorgensen. Why do motorists take such dangerous risks? Consuming alcohol before or during driving and doing so with a revoked license only adds fuel to the fire.

In Michigan, the penalties for operating a vehicle with a suspended or revoked license are severe and include fines, jail time in some cases, and extension of the original length of suspension or revocation time. What is a bit ironic in this situation is that the driver was determined to be driving under the influence, one of the primary reasons drivers have their licenses suspended or revoked in the first place.

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Most people know that driving under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating substances can result in license suspension. Speeding and reckless driving can also result in suspension. While these examples are actually related to the act of operating a vehicle, there are other reasons your license could be suspended that are not directly related to driving.

For example, in Michigan and all other states except four, failure to comply with a child support order will result in suspension of your driver’s license. While the violations that may result in license suspension vary from state to state, some non-driving offenses include:

• Drug-related conviction (possession, distribution, trafficking of marijuana, cocaine, heroin, other illegal narcotic substances)
• Unlawful use of driver’s license or altered license
• Using fictitious or altered license plates on a vehicle Failure to appear in court for ticket and/or moving violation, or failure to pay Dept. of Motor Vehicle fine
• Not having proper insurance coverage on an automobile

Other offenses that are driving-related can lead to suspension of your driver’s license, depending on the state in which you live. Across all 50 states in the U.S., those who violate ‘implied consent laws’ may face automatic license suspension. Implied consent laws pertain to taking a breath test if asked by an officer if you are suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol. If you refuse to take a test, your license may be suspended. Many people are not aware of implied consent laws, however when you obtained your driver’s license you did so with the understanding that you must comply with testing when requested by police.

Other offenses which may cause you to lose your driving privilege in Michigan include leaving the scene of an accident. It is important to note that accumulating points for various violations such as speeding, road rage, or even failure to obey traffic signs and signals can result in driver’s license suspension. In Michigan, once you accumulate 12 points your license will be suspended. Considering that reckless driving results in six points and speeding 16 mph or more over the limit results in four, you can see it does not take long to rack up the points.

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