If you’re the passenger in a stolen vehicle, you can get into serious trouble under Wisconsin law.
However, in order for you to be charged with a crime, a couple of things must happen.
Will You Get in Trouble if You’re a Passenger in a Stolen Vehicle?
In order for the state to convict you of a crime, you have to know that the car you were in was stolen and you must have gotten into it willingly.
Remember, the prosecution has to prove that you’re guilty; you and your lawyer don’t have to prove that you’re innocent.
With that said, though, if the prosecutor finds any reason to believe that you knew the vehicle was stolen and that you got in it willingly, he or she is going to press that as an advantage in court.
What Should You Do if You’re Accused of Being a Passenger in a Stolen Car?
For most people, it makes sense to get in touch with a Wisconsin criminal defense attorney immediately.
Your lawyer will ask you some questions, including what led up to you being in the stolen car, whether you actually knew it was stolen (or why you didn’t know it was stolen), and whether you found out it was stolen while you were in it.
It’s important that you answer your lawyer honestly, because if something comes up in court that your lawyer doesn’t know about, it’s tougher for him or her to defend. Your attorney is going to put together a strategy that gets you the best possible outcome in court, and that includes planning for the allegations the prosecutor makes against you.
Do You Need to Talk to a Wisconsin Criminal Defense Lawyer?
If you’ve been charged with the crime of riding along in a stolen car, call us at 414-383-6700 for your free criminal defense consultation. We answer our phones 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
