A comma was the topic of conversation in one courtroom recently when a woman chose to fight the traffic ticket she received for parking her pickup truck on the street. According to the ticket, the area the woman parked her truck banned “any motor vehicle camper, trailer, farm implemented and/or non-motorized vehicle” for more than 24 hours. The woman claimed her truck did not apply to this ordinance because it was not a ‘motor vehicle camper’ and she was right. The judge ruled that the absence of the comma separating motor vehicle and camper made it a ‘motor vehicle camper,’ which has its own definition. He suggested if this is not what the city meant, they should revise the ordinance to reflect the addition of the comma. While this is a silly example of beating one traffic ticket, Colorado has many different levels of traffic violations and their separate punishments. Let’s take a look at the two types of Greeley traffic tickets and some commonly charged traffic offenses.
Traffic Infraction Tickets in Weld County
Traffic infraction tickets are given for relatively minor traffic violations in Greeley, Windsor, and Erie. They can be charged as a class A or class B traffic infraction and are considered civil matters rather than a criminal summons. Both class A and class B traffic infractions are usually resolvable with a Penalty Assessment Notice where a person can return a guilty plea by mail, with a payment prior to the deadline. The benefit of paying this on or before the due date, is it can lower the assessed points that will be added to your license. Class B infractions do not add any penalty points to a person’s license while class A infractions are reported to the Colorado DMV and points will be added to a person’s license.
Traffic infraction tickets are commonly issued for:
- Changing Lanes When Unsafe
- Speeding from 1 to 24 Miles Per Hour Above the Speed Limit
- Failing to Obey a Traffic Control Signal
Have you been charged with a Misdemeanor Traffic Offense? Contact the experienced criminal and traffic defense lawyers from the O’Malley Law Office to defend you today!
Have you been charged with a Misdemeanor Traffic Offense? Contact the experienced criminal and traffic defense lawyers from the O’Malley Law Office to defend you today!
Misdemeanor Traffic Offenses in Greeley
Misdemeanor traffic offenses are charged when a person commits or is accused of committing a more serious traffic offense. These types of tickets are considered criminal matters and can be charged as a class 1 or class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense, as follows:
| Minimum Penalty | Maximum Penalty | |
| Class 1 Misdemeanor Traffic Offense | *10 days in the Weld County Jail*$300 in fines | *1 year in the Logan County Jail*$1,000 in fines |
| Class 2 Misdemeanor Traffic Offense | *10 days in the Morgan County Jail*150 in fines | * 90 days in any county jail*$300 in fines |
Most of the time, when someone is pulled over for a misdemeanor traffic offense, they will be issued a Summons, which requires at least one court appearance. For more serious misdemeanor traffic offenses, the driver can be arrested and will have to post bond in order to be released. With the possibility of serving time in Weld, Morgan, or Logan County Jail, it’s vital you have an experienced criminal defense lawyer on your side.
Common misdemeanor traffic offenses are:
- Driving Under Restraint
- Careless Driving
- Reckless Driving
- Speeding Greater than 24 Miles Per Hour Above the Speed Limit
If you or someone you love has been charged with a misdemeanor traffic offense, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the best traffic and criminal defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-616-6009. Together, we can protect your future.
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