Michigan Criminal Lawyers Blog
In August of 2013, 32-year-old Adam Tang, also known as “Afroduck,” was arrested for speeding around Manhattan in 24 minutes. According to Fox News, Tang made a 26 mile loop around the city in just over 24 minutes. The speedy lap was captured on a dashboard camera video which revealed Tang’s BMW speeding around Manhattan, a video that was later posted on YouTube. Tang was indicted for misdemeanor reckless endangerment.
Earlier this month, Tang was found to be driving on a suspended license after police noticed his license plate was partially covered. Tang’s license was suspended in September of last year as a condition of his bail for the speedy lap incident in Manhattan. Tang’s bond in the speeding incident had been set at $10,000, however Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Jill Konviser raised the bond to $25,000 or $15,000 cash as a result of Tang’s disobeying court orders and driving on a suspended license.
Gregory Gomez, Tang’s defense attorney, told the judge that he respectfully disagreed with the court’s decision, and that he believed because it was a first arrest misdemeanor case, the bail amount which was imposed on his client was “absurd.” Tang pleaded not guilty to the reckless endangerment charge, but pleaded guilty to unlicensed driving. He paid an undisclosed fine for the traffic infraction.
In the state of Michigan, driving on a suspended license requires that the accused file a hardship appeal in order to get his or her license reinstated; however, this only applies in certain situations. Charges of reckless driving result in a mandatory 90 day suspension for a first offense. If an individual is convicted of reckless driving for a second time within 7 years of the first offense, the individual’s license will be revoked, which is even more serious. In the majority of cases, those who were found guilty or pleaded guilty to reckless driving are not eligible for a hardship appeal.
Those whose licenses have been suspended because of DUI, implied consent violation, for probationary reasons, or due to a traffic accident should consult with a Michigan driver’s license reinstatement attorney who is highly experienced in hardship appeals and DLAD hearings. The process of having your driving privilege restored is complex; if you lose an appeal, you must wait an entire year before requesting another hearing. It is vital that you choose a lawyer with a proven track record for success.