Could I have been arrested for obstruction of justice?

Question

So...here goes... I have 3 vehicles, all insured and one for sale (after a deer hit and is now having many

internal engine troubles). I parked it on the stree in our bed room community with no problems for a year, then

I forgot to renew my tabbies. Our fine city decided to do a SWEEP of illegal cars. I see a cop and a tow truck

right near my van! I inquire politely, then learn thwhat they are up to. The officer agreed to let me push my

expired tab vehicle which was illegally parked on the city street (one of 16 they tagged and towed that day, I

learned) unto MY driveway using MY other vehicle, and with a friend's help. See, it wouldn't start (it turned

over several times, but the fuel was low on octane or the pump was failing), so I had to push it into my

driveway. I got it on my private property, and parked my other legally tabbed and insured vehicle IN FRONT OF

the illegal one.

The officer insisted I still had to pay the tow driver CASH just for showing up, but I had NO CASH!! Just a

check, credit card or debit card, all of which he refused !! He offered to drive me to the nearest ATM. I had 2

neighbor kids over, MY 4 kids (including an 11 week old infant), so six (6) kids total in my care, and the wife

was out shopping! I all along stated I wanted to pay, but had to find a suitable solution to my childcare

problem at hand! My driver friend left, wanting no part in this mess, and took his daughter home from this

increasingly bothersome scene, so when he left I had noone to watch my kids so I could go get the cash. I could

not/would not leave MY kids alone to drive to an ATM!, nor did I have a carseat base to leave with! I would have

been illegally overloaded with kids if I tried to leave anyway!

The Tow guy would not come back to get his money, or take a check, so I says "I guess you'll have to take me to

court..." kind of facieously. That got them steamed, 2 more squads were called in, officer threatened to arrest

me for obstruction of justice and said he immediately would send my kids to a kid shelter (Wow, huh!? 2 weren't

even mine and one was a first time visitor! What a story she had to tell her folks!), all cuz THEY let me move

the van OFF the street. I finally conceeeded, and left one cop at my door with no right of entrys givne, left my

12 year old boy in charge of the babay, secretly thinking I would sue the pants of the city if anything happened

to my kids while I was gone with the portly cop to get their money.

My question: Could I have been arrested if I had just went inside at that point and locked the door? Just

wondering what could have happened, what my "rights" were. I had already satisfied the intent of the law, that

is, getting my unlicensed but insured van off the city street. The expired tabs came to $21, and the tow that

never happened was $103. I'm still wondering if the officer could have arrested me, or if they could have towed

BOTH of my vehilces.

Answer 1

Answer NO don't let cops threaten you with that garbage u should of just shut your door and said screw them there would be nothing they could do at that point except have the tow company send you a bill. Future advice when a cop threatens you to do something like talk to him or give information. don't 80% of things cops and detectives say is lies and they are allowed to do this sick isn't it. And if he would of issued you a ticket you would just take it to court and explain that the cop wanted u to leave all those kids alone without supervision and he would get a talking too and your ticket dropped.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

I'm not sure about your state, but I would sue and tell them this story. Its sounds to me like you were strongarmed to pay for a tow that never happened, unless of course they already had your van on the "hook" as it were. Yes you could have been charged with OGA, but it most likely would have been dismissed. Many times police are correct, but in this case it seems that he could have made the judgement call to have to tow company sue you, but now you have to see the tow company, Keep all of your records and talk with an attorney...and for 103 dollars, maybe even just go to small claims court.

Answer 4

Whether you obstructed justice or not, if the cop didn't like your attitude he would have found a way to get you and taken the kids.

If you had gone in and closed the door then you would be fleeing to elude..a felony.

Since the car was illegally parked and the tow truck was there you did owe him for being there. Had he actually towed, it would have been a whole lot more.

Answer 5

There is NO way you could be charged for a tow that didn't happen. I would've had them send you a bill and then go downtown to complain about it. You would've won. Then I would've pressed the issue and pressed charges for harassment from the cop/tow truck driver.

Just another way for the city to make money. Try finding a lawyer that has a free consultation and talk to him about it.

Answer 6

just my opinion...u never did hinder the officer at no time...that money was going to the tow driver all long. or maybe the officer and tow guy was working together as pals, so He used his badge to make sure the pally tow driver got his money...but if u wasn't warned about the sweep u acted in a good manner...next time push the car back so u could have gotten the 103 dollars worth.

Answer 7

Short answer, no. I would guess the cop was already in a bad mood for having the detail in the first place, but what you described didn't sound like obstruction, you didn't try to prevent his work. Also tow companies can't charge you if they haven't hooked up a vehicle!