elude officer command, cultural misunderstanding

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ricolabo

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I am a research scholar from Switzerland; (PhD degree on J-1 visa) and got my driving license recently. I was driving my new car in Virginia when the incident happened at 9 pm. I got out of a local McDonalds and got lost. I was driving very slowly trying to find my way. Right before seeing the sign I-81, I noticed I had a police car behind me with the blue lights on but I didn't think they were for me. I slowly made a U-turn to get on the right way and noticed that the police car followed me. I was driving very slowly to be sure that the police car could pass me without any trouble. Suddenly another police stopped right in front of my car and I got arrested. They told me I had to stop when there is a police car behind me with the blue lights on. Coming from a foreign country, I didn't know that at all !! I got a class 3 misdemeanor, where it is said that I disregarded or eluded the law enforcement officer command. The police checked my car carefully, everything was perfect with the registration, minus one detail, I hadnt had time to put the decals of the insurance on my new plate but I had them in my trunk !... So now I am very worried :
1) Should I expect serious problems to get an H-1B visa very soon ?
2) The Class 3 misdemeanor means no jail, $500 maximum fee, right ? No chance to go to jail at all ? Should I get a lawyer ? What is the ideal way to spend the least amount of money ? Is there a possibility for me to have a grace for this incident ?

Thanks.
 
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