“Driving While Suspended Inquiry”

Hello Everyone,

My friend took us to a Jays game and while leaving the game, she was getting nauseous and dizzy. She abruptly pulled over on a busy street and said she was going to faint. I took over the driving (my license is suspended due to unpaid fines) so we can park and get off the busy road and tend to my friend. After minutes of looking for parking we get pulled over because her sticker was expired.

So of course I have a court date for Driving While Suspended (first offence). How should I approach this? It was an emergency and seemed like the most reasonable and safest thing to do. Do I plead guilty with an explanation or not guilty? I am not making excuses and I would never put myself in this predicament again but seriously at that time it seemed like the most reasonable thing to do. Please help!

Thank you.

B.

blsdalws wrote:How should I approach this? It was an emergency

You might see it this way, but they'd probably disagree. It doesn't sound like any steps were taken for an active emergency. Did you inform the officer of the emergency? That your friend required immediate medical assistance? Why would the officer keep writing tickets while your friend is having this emergency?

Otherwise, your friend probably should have had her car moved by someone with a valid license or have the vehicle towed.

So do I plead guilty with an explanation? What do you think my charges will be? What's the best way to lower the charges?

As I mentioned before, my license is suspended due to unpaid fines (personal issues I won't get into here) but if it takes me some time to pay off the ticket, will this impact my friend when she needs to renew her licence plate as I was driving her car? (ticket was to me but her license plate is on the ticket).

No it should not affect your friend, only you.

When you go to court, bring her along so that she can testify. You might get a reduction, and maybe there is a small chance you will get it dropped completely if the JP believes you and her are both sincere.