About 3 months ago a friend of mine that is about a 10 year veteran of the military (4+ years in the USMC during Desert Storm and since 9/11 re-entered a Special Forces unit) got stopped by an Albuquerque Police officer for speeding and weaving.
My friend and a witness say the cop came into a Bennigans and saw him having a beer and then waited outside for him for about 45 minutes, then when he left, the cop followed him for 6 miles finally pulling him over and saying he had seen him having much more than one beer. My friend passed the SFTs and was polite and courteous. The cop still wrote him tickets. I've seen the weaving cite-it says "crossed line 2x" - (no more details). Apparently the cop has ensured my friend he will zealously appear in court to prosecute.
Since the I-25/Rio Grande drug corridor runs through Albuquerque and the city is flooded with drugs, has a high per capita violent crime rate, is a frequent feature on COPS, etc., is it just me or is this a bit petty?
2006-08-23 04:39:59 · 9 answers · asked by Eliphas C 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
there is more to the story that you are not telling us or you dont know yourself
2006-08-23 07:45:13 · answer #1 · answered by mike g 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your friend was stopped for speeding and weaving. The suspicion of drunk driving was just another aspect of the stop. Your friend passed the field sobriety tests, so was not charged with DUI. He did, however, receive the tickets for speeding and weaving. Passing the tests had no effect on whether he was speeding and weaving. Those offenses had already happened and there is no test to get out of them. Crossing the center line twice is weaving, what more details do you want? If he wasn't speeding or weaving, then fight the tickets. If he was, quit making excuses.
As for it being petty, do you really think stopping possible drunk drivers is petty? I have seen too many deaths caused by drunks to feel that way. Drivers under the influence are some of the most dangerous criminals out there. Your friend was apparently not too impaired to drive, but that doesn't mean that the next guy stopped for speeding and weaving isn't dangerously drunk. Would you rather the officer let someone who might be drunk go without checking him out, so maybe the guy can drive down the road and crash into the car carrying your family? Didn't think so.
2006-08-23 05:08:21 · answer #2 · answered by RJ 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like there's more to the story than this. Why would a cop wait 45 minutes outside a restaurant for this guy he doesn't know?
If he was weaving, then he should pay the ticket and don't even waste the court's time. Why was he speeding in the first place?
If he only had 1 beer, odds are any "driving while intoxicated" charge won't stick.... but you don't mention that anyway.
Bottom line: if you break the law, don't whine when ticketed.
2006-08-23 04:43:51 · answer #3 · answered by Funchy 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It sounds petty, but if your friend was drinking and driving, then the cop had every right to give him a ticket. Had your friend said "yes officer, I did have 1 drink before getting behind the wheel, I am sorry" he might not have got the ticket, or he might have. Sometimes cops are nicer if you are nice to them.
2006-08-23 04:44:04 · answer #4 · answered by Linda 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He should count himself lucky he wasn't stopped by the Sheriffs dept.
Serves him right for hanging out at Benigan's anway... :) j/k
If he really feels he was specifically targeted for some reason, then yes, definitely get a lawyer... Sometimes they're not entirely worthless...
2006-08-23 04:57:49 · answer #5 · answered by James 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it is a violation to cross the center line, if he "weaved" across the line, he was not in control of his vehicle and should have received a traffic citation!
I'm glad he's serving our country, but this has no bearing on the traffic violation!
2006-08-23 04:48:00 · answer #6 · answered by Pobept 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are right, it is petty, Petty Awful your friend was treated to badly! Once your friend goes to court, he should explain the entrapment scenario to the judge! Best of Luck to him!
2006-08-23 04:43:53 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Your friend should get a lawyer to represent him, it may be well worth the money.
2006-08-23 04:43:31 · answer #8 · answered by Maria b 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
cops are professional pricks. i have bad luck with them too and im in huntington beach, ca. and yes...it does seem a bit petty. but unfortunately there's not much we can do.
2006-08-23 04:49:04 · answer #9 · answered by tat2dprincess 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋