Obstruction

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Gallipolis Ohio

I was arrested on 09/07/2008 in Ohio. I was asked to give someone a ride and was pulled over by the sheriffs department. During the traffic stop my passenger bailed out of my car. I was asked by the officers if I knew the man was wanted and I said No. I was asked if I knoew him also and I said I dont know him personally. I was charged with one count of obstruction of official business and one count of obstruction of justice. How can I be charged for giving a man a ride? I have no prior record except for traffic violations. What are the chance this will be dismissed? I read the supression of evidence and All it states was the offender was observed in my car, he ran I was arrested at the advice of the deputy sheriff.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

If what you have posted is completely true (I have my doubts) they may have charged you hoping it would encourage you to give up more information on the guy, or information the sheriff must believe you're withholding.

I would be inclined to believe that you were arrested for obstruction because of how you acted or reacted to the situation. Did you stop immediately when you were red lighted, or did you take your sweet time, possibly giving the passenger time to prepare for his sudden departure, or did your passenger take off after identifying himself to the deputies?

Did you follow their orders?

Were you cooperative with the deputies and did you answer their questions without hesitation and truthfully? Did you change your story or give contradictory answers?

There must have been a reason they didn't believe that you were just giving the guy a ride. Most likely it's because every driver who gets stopped and has a passenger flee from their vehicle uses the same "I was just giving the guy a ride, I only met him a half an hour ago" or the "I picked him up hitch-hiking" story. So there are a lot of miles on that excuse.

Looking at this situation realistically, how many people drive someone in their vehicle, who they don't know anything about? Unless your a bus driver I wouldn't expect you to be transporting complete strangers in your vehicle just because your a nice guy and the sheriff evidently didn't believe this either. Not saying it can't be the truth, just that it's fairly unusual.

About the only thing you can do at this point, is appear on your court date and see what the DA has to say. If they are going to pursue the charge, then plead not guilty and hire an attorney to represent you. There's no way for anyone posting on this site to know if they will drop the charges. But I can tell you that I wouldn't expect them to be dropped.
As the saying goes, plan for the worse and hope for the best.

What I posted is the complete truth. I DO NOT know the man. I know who he is when I see him. In the town im from you are guilty until proven Innocent.

NOTGUILTY45614 said:

In the town im from you are guilty until proven Innocent.

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Then you must've missed the requirement that your question be about US law, because there's no town I'm aware of that has implemented this.

Dougthegreat said:

Then you must've missed the requirement that your question be about US law, because there's no town I'm aware of that has implemented this.

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This is true, so far our rights have only sank to, "Your innocent until you run out of money!"

outonbail said:

This is true, so far our rights have only sank to, "Your innocent until you run out of money!"

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Or, "Guilty until proven celebrity"

Case dismissed!

Just wanted to let you all know that my case was dismissed ! The sheriffs office was made to look like idots in court because they had no cause to arrest me! I now have a lawyer and I will be filing a law suit against the local sheriffs office for lost wages and other legal fees! Thanks for the advice.


God Bless