Reckless driving is a serious misdemeanor offense in Virginia that could result in harsh penalties and a permanent criminal recorded if you are convicted. Because you want to build a strong defense against the charges, you need to stay off social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Posting on these sites can have a negative impact on your defense and help the police build a stronger case against you. Social media can hurt your accident case

How Your Social Media Posts Can Hurt Your Reckless Driving Defense

If you are like many people, you may use social media sites to update friends and family on your life. However, even if you adjust your privacy settings, this does not protect you when you have been charged with reckless driving in Virginia. Some social media sites may cooperate with police and share your “private” information. Here are some of the ways that social media can hurt you when you are facing reckless driving charges:

  • Your posts both before and after your arrest can be used against you. The police and prosecutor can search your social media sites for incriminating statements, pictures, and videos and use them to prosecute you. In some cases, posts on social media sites have led to individuals being arrested for reckless driving even though the police did not witness the criminal act.
  • Posts and tags by your friends can also be searched by the police. If they provide damaging evidence against you, they can also be used against you.
  • Your social media posts may help the police determine your location immediately prior to your arrest. This could lead the police to interview friends, family, or witnesses at a bar or restaurant you visited and obtain potential testimony against you.
  • Even if you delete what you consider a potentially harmful post or picture, the police have the technology to retrieve it. Additionally, the prosecutor could use the fact that you purposely deleted a post or picture to ask the judge to treat you more harshly.

If you posted on social media after being charged with reckless driving, you should discuss this with an experienced reckless driving attorney. Charles V. Hardenbergh will talk over your options and help you aggressively fight the charges you face. Start an online chat today to schedule your free consultation.

 

Charles V. Hardenbergh
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