If a police officer is pulling you over or if you see flashing lights, it’s for the best if you comply with all requests for interaction. The majority of people do just that, but now and then, there’s someone who decides to make their situation worse by trying to run away in hopes of getting away with it. However, they will get caught eventually, and they will be facing their original charge. They will also be facing additional charges for trying to flee from the police. Below, we will take a closer look at how fleeing charges in Utah are handled.
Fleeing From Police In Utah
Attempting to evade police may seem like an amusing thrill when you see it on television and movies. Still, it is a severe crime with very substantial penalties in Utah. If you try to run from police on foot or in a motor vehicle, you’ll be charged with attempting to evade a police officer. This carries significant penalties, but if a pedestrian or law enforcement officer were injured or killed as a result of your attempt to flee, penalties would be even more severe.
However, what exactly counts as fleeing? If a police officer asks a crowd to stand still and you walk away, is it fleeing? By law, you are considered fleeing if you fail to respond to an officer’s request to stop. In the situation previously mentioned, you’re probably not fleeing if you start to walk away, but if an officer spots you and yells, “You there, stop and come back here,” and you continue to walk or run away, you might be hit with a fleeing charge.
Fleeing on foot is considered a misdemeanor offense, punishable by up to 90 days in jail and fines up to $1,000. Because of the inherent risks of fleeing in a vehicle, Utah courts punish these cases more seriously. Attempting to flee in a motor vehicle is considered a felony offense, punishable by up to three years in jail and fines up to $5,000. A judge may go easier on you, depending on the situation. Fleeing and causing death carries a maximum of 40 years in jail and fines up to $80,000, so don’t risk everything by trying to run from police.