Anyone who flees in a vehicle from law enforcement and places the public at risk will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. In all such cases, the Houston County District Attorney’s Office will make a substantial prison time sentence recommendation to the court. Placing the public at risk of receiving significant injury in order to flee law enforcement is simply inexcusable. While law enforcement agencies across the country are considering the appropriateness of chasing fleeing offenders, it is clear that the prosecutors of this country can do more to send the message that any such flight will be met with harsh consequences. It is the intention of this office to advise fleeing offenders that prosecutors, law enforcement and Houston County citizens will not tolerate such behavior.
In two recent cases, the District Attorney prosecuted offenders and convicted them of both the serious underlying crimes AND the fleeing crimes.
Charles Wright/Heather Michael – In addition to prosecuting the offenders for the offense of aggravated assault and theft charges, both defendants were convicted of the fleeing charges which arose from a high speed chase as the couple attempted to elude pursuing deputies. Ms. Michael was found guilty, by a jury, of the fleeing charges even though she was not the driver.
Henry Stubbs/Mathis Ward – Recently convicted of armed robbery and car jacking, both defendants were also convicted of fleeing and eluding charges. Ward pled to the fleeing charges, while Stubbs was found guilty be a jury, even though the evidence showed that he was not the driver.
Kelly Burke, District Attorney: “The point of prosecuting the individuals shown above for the fleeing charges was to send the message that flight which puts the public at risk will be prosecuted just as vigorously as the crime that started the flight. In both cases above, and in countless others, the flight charges added additional years in prison onto already lengthy prison sentences. We will not tolerate behavior which places the lives of innocent citizens at risk. As seen by these jury verdicts, jurors agree that this type of conduct deserves punishment.”
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