Police said the group rented a Toyota Yaris in order to “ghostride the whip.”

Ghost riding is essentially a stunt wherein the driver starts driving, exits the vehicle (leaving the car in motion), and at some point re-enters the vehicle in order to stop it.

Neil and Melodie Tillman were performing the stunt using the rental car at approximately 4:00 am. Neil set the car in motion, and then got out to videotape. The car drifted down the road, driverless, until it struck a parked vehicle. An unidentified woman was ejected from the car and taken to Scripps La Jolla Trauma Center.

Neil Tillman was arrested for driving (or, in this case, not driving) under the influence. His wife, Melodie, and a few others were also arrested for public intoxication.

If you’re still confused as to what ghostriding the whip would entail, here’s the only “safe for work” video I could find—and naturally, it’s a parody.

While technically he wasn’t “driving,” Neil was responsible for operating the motor vehicle, which is why he was charged with a DUI. Virginia law works the same way. Even if the ghostrider wasn’t intoxicated, they could still be looking at a Reckless Driving charge.

If you or someone you know has been charged with Reckless Driving, take it seriously. This is a criminal charge in Virginia, and an experienced attorney could make the difference in your case.

An alleged drunk driver tries to cut through a line of cars, and then makes the clumsiest exit possible.

While a third party uploaded the video to Youtube, it appears to be from a security camera, so it’s safe to guess they’ve identified the driver. It’s not as bad as if the driver posted it himself, however law enforcement authorities do monitor social media.

Incidents like this aside, Driving While Intoxicated is no laughing matter. The state of Virginia takes these cases very seriously. If you or someone you know has been charged with a DWI or DUI, know what you’re getting into. Request a FREE copy of The Parrish Law Firm’s Special Report on DWIs.

Not so much.

Take the case of Anthony Graber, for example. When Maryland State Troopers pulled him over in March of 2008, he admitted to speeding while riding his motorcycle on I-95.

Officer Joseph Uhler pulled him over when Graber sped past his unmarked car, claiming he was traveling 100 mph. Uhler did not have a radar gun. Graber was pulling off the exit ramp, when Uhler cut him off with his car, and hopped out with his gun drawn.

Uhler never mentioned a gun in his report, but he did note that he saw a “strange looking object on the operator’s helmet, which he later realized to be a video camera.”

That video camera was recording the incident—speeding (which Graber fully admits to), and at one point in the video, Graber turns back, showing Uhler’s unmarked car, without lights on. The video shows Uhler getting out of the car with his gun drawn, waiting several seconds to identify himself as an officer.

In the end, Graber wasn’t hurt, and took his citation for traveling 80 mph in a 65 mph zone. So what’s the problem?

Aside from the behavior of Officer Uhler, Youtube. After realizing the camera on his helmet had recorded the entire altercation, Graber posted the video online.

Ten days later, Uhler discovered the video. He issued an arrest warrant against Graber, as Uhler was not informed of the recording (“violation of criminal law 10-402(b)”). Uhler also added Reckless Driving and Negligent Driving charges.

Graber was residing with his parents when six police officers searched his home in the morning. He was not arrested, as he was recovering from gallbladder surgery, however police seized family computers and told Graber to turn himself in as soon as possible.

Graber spent 26 hours in jail, and was released upon his own recognizance, facing charges of violating wiretapping laws.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, there must be a reasonable expectation of privacy in order for the violation to be held valid.

There were other people on the Interstate exit ramp. While Uhler appears to be in plainclothes and driving an unmarked car, exactly how much privacy was he in expecting in broad daylight?

While the American Civil Liberties Union and the Maryland Attorney General’s office have stated charges against Graber would not stand, Hartford County State’s Attorney Joseph Cassilly made the following statement in a magazine interview:

“The officer having his gun drawn on or being on a public roadway has nothing to do with it. Neither does the fact that what Mr. Graber said during the stop could be used in court. That’s not the test. The test is whether police officers can expect some of the conversations they have while on the job to remain private and not be recorded and replayed for the world to hear.”

Both sides bring up some interesting points. Whatever the result of this trial, it will certainly set an interesting precedent for privacy and wiretapping laws, as well as police behavior.

Adrian Hill, an employee of the exotic car dealership St. Louis Motorsports, is facing charges of careless and imprudent driving for speeding up to 150 mph while test driving a Lamborghini which just happened to be his employer’s high performance sports car. You may be asking why this story is so unusual? Well, Adrian Hill broke the cardinal rule of social media – do not post videos of yourself on YouTube or any other social site such as Facebook or MySpace while engaging in illegal behavior.

Instead of waiting on the side of the road to clock this speeder, Chesterfield Police discovered a video posted on YouTube that the passenger filmed while the car was speeding down the slow lane on Highway 40. Chesterfield Police quickly responded to the video on YouTube and arrested the driver for his alleged display of reckless driving during this high speed test drive.

Jim Mills, owner of St. Louis Motorsports, was aware that his employees were filming the vehicles as a matter of promotional material but was not aware that this employee was speeding in one of their vehicles which is a behavior that is not tolerated.

AutoBlog – Video: St. Louis exotic dealership employee nailed for 150 mph test drives on YouTube
StLToday.com – Speeding sports cars stunts lead to Chesterfield citations

The Parrish Law Firm is experienced with defending Virginia drivers charged with serious traffic offenses such as DWI/DUI, Speeding, and Reckless Driving. If you are charged with DWI/DUI, Speeding, or Reckless Driving in Virginia, contact The Parrish Law Firm for a free and confidential case analysis.

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The Parrish Law Firm
10620-C Crestwood Drive – Manassas, Virginia 20109
(571) 229-1800

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