Cruite v. State

SHEPARD, Chief Justice.

In a prosecution for operating a vehicle as an habitual traffic violator, when the defendant's driving record maintained by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles indicates that the BMV has sent him suspension notices on the basis of his habitual offender status, may that record by itself satisfy the State's initial burden of proving that the defendant knew of the suspension? We hold that it may.

Like many other habitual traffic offenders, Thomas Cruite cannot seem to stay out from behind the wheel of a car. And like so many who have lost the privilege to operate a motor vehicle,…