A person commits a criminal offense (crime) if they intentionally flee from a person they know or should know is a peace officer or federal special investigator attempting to lawfully arrest or detain them. A person will be subject to higher penalties if they use a motor vehicle or watercraft while evading arrest or detention, or cause injury to another person. This criminal offense is also known as “fleeing and eluding.”
In Alabama, fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer is a criminal offense. Under Alabama law, it is illegal for a person to willfully flee from or attempt to elude any law enforcement officer after having received a signal to stop, when the person knows or should have known that they are being pursued by a peace officer or federal special investigator. The offense becomes more serious if the individual uses a motor vehicle or watercraft to flee from the officer, or if their actions result in injury to another person. The penalties for fleeing and eluding can include fines, imprisonment, and the suspension of the individual's driver's license. The specific charges and penalties can vary based on the circumstances of the offense, such as the presence of aggravating factors like high speeds or causing a pursuit that endangers others.