What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? MD
This is going to be lengthy, but please read this if you think you might be able to help...
Any advice would be so greatly appreciated. One month ago I was in a car accident. I had just left work, and wrecked my car literally 200 feet down the road. I was turning left at a stop sign and was struck by another vehicle. Front right corner of his hit front of mine. It has yet to be determined (to my knowledge) whether this was my fault or his. In all honesty, it's a tough one. That isn't important though. This is.
Apparantly my license was suspended, and had been for the better part of 1 YEAR!. This was due (so they tell me) to an FTA for expired plates on my the car I owned previously. At the time, I was about to purchase a new vehicle but needed to use that one to get to work one day. I didn't know the plates had expired, and to be honest I didn't really worry about it because within one week that car was donated to purple heart. I completely forgot about the ticket (A.D.D.) and never received the court summons, as it was sent to my parents home while I was living in Baltimore. This was my fault, I should have had my mailing address changed, because my parents aren't good about telling me these things. So this led to an FTA.
I never heard anything about it again. This past april (at this time my license was suspended) was was involved in a car accident that caused significant damage (but not worthy of a total loss) to my car. My insurance covered it, without mention of my suspended license. One night, while my car was in the shop, I was using my parents van, sitting in it by the water with my girlfriend having a conversation and listening to the radio. She was about to leave for two months. No drugs or anythign illegal were involved. Cops pulled up. Searched us and the vehicle. Clean. Informed me that my license was suspended and told me not to drive home. Concerned, I called the MVA the next morning. Young female tells me that she sees no record of a suspended license on my record. I say "hmmm...???" and move on. Assumed it was a mistake and that it wasn't actually suspended. 4 months went by until the next time I was pulled over, for a bad break light. I was given a repair notice. I randomly asked the officer afterwards "would you mind checking something for me...I wanted to make sure that my license wasn't suspended". I know it doesn't seem smart, but I'm a very honest person and take pride in this. I wanted to know. He radioed this in to the station, and they told him I was fine - no suspension. I said "ok, now I know for sure, it was not suspended".
Then comes the accident. Suddenly, as I was preparing for my ride home to pick me up, I was put in handcuffs and spent the entire night in Baltimore City Central Booking (quite an experience, to say the least). I was released on my own recog and the next chance I got (within that work week) went to the MVA and got my license taken care of. No fine or anything, just the 30 bucks for a new card.
It was a horrible experience, and now that my court date is here (tomorrow) I am a little worried about what may happen. I cannot afford to have my license taken away. I drive 45 minutes to and from work each morning. I have a clean record (other than this, and a false statement on the police report that I supposedly "told the officers that I ran the stop sign"...totally untrue - (btw, should I contest this?). I am and have been 100% clean and sober for a long time, basically I'm a very law obiding citizen, and I would never have let this happen had I known and had I not been given faulty information, not only by the MVA (probably a new employee) but a Baltimore City police officer after I conciously asked him to check this for me.
What kind of fine can I expect? Will I be sent back to jail? Will they take my license away from me? I'm very, very concerned and wishing I had hired a defense attourney in advance. Nevertheless, I won't let this happen again - but what do I do/say tomorrow???
This is going to be lengthy, but please read this if you think you might be able to help...
Any advice would be so greatly appreciated. One month ago I was in a car accident. I had just left work, and wrecked my car literally 200 feet down the road. I was turning left at a stop sign and was struck by another vehicle. Front right corner of his hit front of mine. It has yet to be determined (to my knowledge) whether this was my fault or his. In all honesty, it's a tough one. That isn't important though. This is.
Apparantly my license was suspended, and had been for the better part of 1 YEAR!. This was due (so they tell me) to an FTA for expired plates on my the car I owned previously. At the time, I was about to purchase a new vehicle but needed to use that one to get to work one day. I didn't know the plates had expired, and to be honest I didn't really worry about it because within one week that car was donated to purple heart. I completely forgot about the ticket (A.D.D.) and never received the court summons, as it was sent to my parents home while I was living in Baltimore. This was my fault, I should have had my mailing address changed, because my parents aren't good about telling me these things. So this led to an FTA.
I never heard anything about it again. This past april (at this time my license was suspended) was was involved in a car accident that caused significant damage (but not worthy of a total loss) to my car. My insurance covered it, without mention of my suspended license. One night, while my car was in the shop, I was using my parents van, sitting in it by the water with my girlfriend having a conversation and listening to the radio. She was about to leave for two months. No drugs or anythign illegal were involved. Cops pulled up. Searched us and the vehicle. Clean. Informed me that my license was suspended and told me not to drive home. Concerned, I called the MVA the next morning. Young female tells me that she sees no record of a suspended license on my record. I say "hmmm...???" and move on. Assumed it was a mistake and that it wasn't actually suspended. 4 months went by until the next time I was pulled over, for a bad break light. I was given a repair notice. I randomly asked the officer afterwards "would you mind checking something for me...I wanted to make sure that my license wasn't suspended". I know it doesn't seem smart, but I'm a very honest person and take pride in this. I wanted to know. He radioed this in to the station, and they told him I was fine - no suspension. I said "ok, now I know for sure, it was not suspended".
Then comes the accident. Suddenly, as I was preparing for my ride home to pick me up, I was put in handcuffs and spent the entire night in Baltimore City Central Booking (quite an experience, to say the least). I was released on my own recog and the next chance I got (within that work week) went to the MVA and got my license taken care of. No fine or anything, just the 30 bucks for a new card.
It was a horrible experience, and now that my court date is here (tomorrow) I am a little worried about what may happen. I cannot afford to have my license taken away. I drive 45 minutes to and from work each morning. I have a clean record (other than this, and a false statement on the police report that I supposedly "told the officers that I ran the stop sign"...totally untrue - (btw, should I contest this?). I am and have been 100% clean and sober for a long time, basically I'm a very law obiding citizen, and I would never have let this happen had I known and had I not been given faulty information, not only by the MVA (probably a new employee) but a Baltimore City police officer after I conciously asked him to check this for me.
What kind of fine can I expect? Will I be sent back to jail? Will they take my license away from me? I'm very, very concerned and wishing I had hired a defense attourney in advance. Nevertheless, I won't let this happen again - but what do I do/say tomorrow???
