Bus Driver Protects Career From Reckless Driving Charges

In Allegheny County, a 48-year-old bus driver found himself in serious legal trouble after an altercation with another driver while he was driving a city bus. This incident led to reckless driving charges, which are significant for any driver with penalties including a $200 fine and a possible six-month license suspension. But the consequences for reckless driving are even harsher for someone with a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) since a conviction would likely lead to his termination. Obviously, worried about losing his CDL, which would ultimately end his career, he looked to the traffic attorneys at Pittsburgh’s Worgul, Sarna & Ness, Criminal Defense Attorneys, LLC for help finding a solution.

Believing that ending his client’s career based on this transgression would be inappropriate, attorney Matthew Ness took the man’s case and began crafting the strongest possible defense. Upon review of the available evidence, attorney Ness argued that his client’s driving was in defense of the other driver’s actions, which could be considered an example or road rage. After this and his client’s unblemished record of 22 years were taken into account, the presiding judge ruled that the man was guilty of careless driving, rather than reckless driving. Since this is a lesser offense, he only faced the addition of three points on his license and a $25 fine instead of a career ending suspension.

The outcome of an individual case depends on a variety of factors unique to that case. Case results do not guarantee or predict a similar result in any similar or future case.