A 32-year-old Cary man is facing a stack of charges after Jacksonville police say they pulled him over on Wilmington Highway and found a 10-year-old child riding inside his vehicle. Charging documents allege he was driving while impaired and behind the wheel with a license that had already been revoked because of a prior impaired-driving-related revocation. He is also accused of child abuse, failing to secure the child in a required restraint system and having an open container in the passenger area.
Traffic Stop And Arrest
According to WCTI News 12, officers arrested Yusuf Tariq Muhammad on Saturday after stopping his vehicle on Wilmington Highway in Jacksonville. The outlet reports that Muhammad, listed in charging documents as the parent of the child, faces counts of operating a vehicle while under the influence of an impairing substance and driving with a revoked license. WCTI adds that police booked him into the Onslow County Detention Center and that he received a secured bond.
Charges And State Law
North Carolina defines impaired driving under G.S. 20-138.1, as set out by the North Carolina General Assembly, which covers operating a vehicle while under the influence of an impairing substance or with a qualifying blood-alcohol level. The child-restraint statute at G.S. 20-137.1 is summarized by Justia and requires drivers to properly secure passengers under 16, with violations carrying fines and license-point penalties. Prosecutors can also pursue child-abuse charges in cases that put a minor at risk. The felony child-abuse statute is described in G.S. 14-318.4 on Justia.
Booking, Bond And Next Steps
WCTI reports that Muhammad was processed at the Onslow County Detention Center and "received a secured bond" following the stop. The Onslow County Detention Division lists the jail at 717 Court Street in Jacksonville on its Onslow County Detention Division page, where initial bookings and arraignments are handled. Court dockets and a formal arraignment date were not publicly available at the time of reporting, and filings along with next-step scheduling are expected to be handled through the Onslow County clerk of court.
Why A Child In The Car Matters In Sentencing
Under North Carolina's impaired-driving sentencing framework, the presence of a child in the vehicle can count as a grossly aggravating factor that increases a judge's sentencing exposure under G.S. 20-179, which is codified by the North Carolina General Assembly. The statute also treats driving while a license is revoked as an aggravating factor, which could further affect penalties if the case results in a conviction. At this stage the allegations remain charges, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
