ND Senate Approves Fleeing Vehicle Bill

(Bismarck, ND) — State lawmakers disagree with a bill for vehicles that flee from police. The North Dakota Senate approved a proposal that allows law enforcement to ticket the owner of a fleeing vehicle one-hundred dollars for a first offense, and 500-hundred dollars for additional violations. Legislators say the bill responds to a rise in fleeing throughout the state. Those opposed believe the law would violate constitutional rights while taking away the presumption of innocence of vehicle owners who would have to prove they weren’t a suspected driver during a police chase. Current state law doesn’t allow authorities to recommend a fleeing charge unless they know who the driver is.