Fred Hill, Jr. was indicted in two counts for violating the Habitual Violator Law (Code Ann. § 68B-308 (c)) and for fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer (Code Ann. § 68A-904). The trial court directed a verdict of acquittal as to the Habitual Violator charge in Count 1. The jury returned a verdict of guilty on Count 2
1. Hill contends that the trial court erred in denying his motion for mistrial based on the testimony of a police officer. This witness was asked by the state, “Now where were you when you saw the Defendant, Fred Hill, Jr.?” He replied: “I was coming from Campbell going towards Clay Street and as I got to the top of the bridge, the railroad overpass, I saw a... Pontiac Grand Prix which looked like the one Fred Hill owns coming up the other side and due to the fact that I knew Mr. Hill from previous arrests —.” At this point objection was interposed, the jury removed, and defense counsel moved for a mistrial. The court denied the mistrial but explained to the jury that “a part of the response to the last question was unresponsive to the question as it was put. I ask that you disregard the entire last question and the response and put that out of your minds and I’ll let counsel proceed.” Under the circumstances here, where the defendant had been charged as a habitual traffic violator, this prompt curative instruction was sufficient. Accord, Jackson v. State,
2. Hill’s second enumeration of error, that the trial judge erred in failing to give certain requested charges, is also without merit. The first requested charge, on two equal theories compelling acceptance of the one consistent with innocence, is taken from Patrick v. State,
Judgment affirmed.
