Busted exceeding hours of service

I went over my 11 hours yesterday by 20 minutes and was caught on my electronic logs by an Illinois State cop. I knew full well what I was doing, I just wanted to get to the next exit to take my 10 hour break. I took a stupid chance and got caught. During my level 3 my electronic logs also showed a gap last week that I had forgotten all about, the cop wanted a paper log for that small gap and I could not produce, so that resulted in another ticket. So now I have 2 logbook violations. I was placed out of service. (I was 2 miles from where I was going to take my 10).

I am sure I am going to get scorned by many here and I expect that. My company was pissed and wrote me up. And I am going to have to miss a day of work and drive 3 hours to my mandatory court date. Not to mention the fine I have to pay as well as the bad mark. Believe me, I am paying a hefty price for the risk.

Moving forward, I was really concerned at how much the fine was going to be. I called that county clerk today and they were pretty nice and surprisingly, he said logbook violations are only $160 each. So $320 is not the end of the world I expected it to be a lot worse.

My question is I told myself to just suck it up, pay it learn from it and put it behind me and never do it again. But it's not the money so much as it is the points that is harming my company. I'm looking for suggestions, should I fight this or is there some type of law firm I should handle that perhaps they could lesson the point damage?

None of the local attorneys called me back. I googled some of those trucker legal aid's but most of them are not getting very good reviews. I spoke with one, the truckers voice. They said for $350 and then another $49 membership fee billed monthly they will send an attorney in my place and I do not have to show up for court and that they would be 90% successful at getting my fine reduced or eliminated.

I have a friend that suggested I just fight it, that one of the tickets may get dropped. But if I fight it, will it piss them off and result in heftier fines?

Looking for some experience here to weigh in and offer me some suggestions. If I can lessen the point damage, that would be great.

 

I got pulled onto an off ramp at dusk. I had saw the cop sitting in the median and thought nothing of it but he came out and followed me like a big fish

 

I thought I could make it to the Casey Illinois exit. It was a tad farther than I thought

 

I left out that he said I was going 74 MPH when that is impossible. I think he clocked the car next to me and thought it was me. Or he was just looking for an excuse to give me a random inspection. It happened at Casey Illinois exit, just outside Terra Haute Indiana

 

Nope. He wrote a warning on my DOT inspection for speeding, and handed me 2 actual tickets for logbook violations