A man in New Jersey was recently arrested for committing a drug crime. The arrest came following a traffic stop that police initiated due to the man’s alleged failure to follow the rules of the road. A strong criminal defense will likely be necessary for the man to effectively fight the multiple charges he now faces.
The incident began at about 8:50 a.m. on a Saturday, when a police officer decided to stop a box truck that was headed north along Route 15. According to authorities, the truck was not maintaining its lane. Upon arriving at the truck, the officer reportedly smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle and asked the driver about the odor.
The truck driver allegedly told police that he did have a tiny bag containing the drug in the truck. The officer proceeded to search the truck and reportedly discovered the marijuana bag. At that moment, the 40-year-old truck driver was arrested on charges of possessing marijuana, possessing a drug in an automobile, and not staying in his lane.
It is within the truck driver’s rights to fight the criminal charges brought against him in court. At trial, the prosecution must prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt before any conviction can happen. This high standard is in place with the goal of preventing innocent people from being convicted of crimes they did not do.
Rather than going to trial, though, the man may decide to try to strike a plea deal with the prosecution. If the prosecution’s evidence appears to be strong, plea bargaining may be a wise move in that it might lead to a lighter charge and thus a lighter sentence than what the man would receive if found guilty at trial. A criminal defense attorney in New Jersey can help the defendant to choose the most personally favorable course of action given the facts of his criminal case.