Showing posts with label speeding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label speeding. Show all posts

Monday, May 05, 2014

Officer Bryan Horowitz Charged with DUI


A Broadway police officer arrested a Harrisonburg police officer on Saturday and charged him with driving under the influence.

Officer Bryan Horowitz, 36, is charged with misdemeanor DUI and misdemeanor refusing a Breathalyzer test. Horowitz is the leader of the CHARGE Gang Task Force.

According to the criminal complaint, the deputy was traveling west on Lee Street in Broadway when an eastbound vehicle drove by going 52 mph in a 35 mph zone.

The officer, according to the complaint, turned around and saw the car turn right on Main Street and pull into the Backstage Video parking lot.

"I could see the male driver was getting out of the driver side and a female getting out of the passenger set and attempting to switch places," the officer wrote.

After approaching the pair, the officer alleged, he smelled alcohol on Horowitz. He also alleged that Horowitz slurred his speech.

"I asked him if he had anything to drink and he did not answer me," the complaint states.

The officer noted in the complaint that an open Corona beer bottle was in the front cup holder.

Horowitz refused to take field sobriety tests, the criminal complaint alleges.

The complaint did not say what time the officer arrested Horowitz.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Officer Ben Erskine Arrested for DUI


A Cocoa police officer is off the streets after being arrested for DUI.

Cocoa police said Officer Ben Erskine was pulled over for speeding in late February and charged with driving under the influence.

Officer Erskine has been on administrative duty since then.

He is a been with the Cocoa Police Department for six years.

The State Attorney's Office is investigating the case.

Friday, March 21, 2014

Sgt. Charles Miller Arrested After High Speed Chase

A New Orleans police officer was arrested Friday morning after he allegedly refused to wait for an officer to issue him traffic citations, and instead snatched his driver’s license and documents from the officer and fled the scene.

Investigators said an officer pulled over 26-year veteran Sgt. Charles Miller Thursday about 8 p.m.

Police said Miller was speeding on US 90-B near Claiborne Avenue.

The truck Miller was driving didn't have a license plate either, police said.

Miller took the St. Charles Avenue exit, and pulled over for the officer at Calliope Street and St. Charles. He allegedly turned over his driver’s license and registration to the officer, but minutes later, snatched his items back from the officer, which injured her wrist, according to the New Orleans Police Department.

Detectives said Miller sped off in his truck and led the officer on a high-speed chase.

During the chase Miller ran a stop sign, drove through a red light, drove at speeds near 90 miles per hour and committed other traffic violations.

The officer stopped pursuing Miller because she believed the chase was a serious threat to the public’s safety, investigators said.

Miller turned himself in to authorities on Friday at the Public Integrity Bureau.

He was booked on charges of speeding, no license plate, expired driver’s license, battery on an officer, aggravated flight from an officer, disregarding a stop sign, disregarding a red light and reckless operation of a vehicle.

He was placed on emergency suspension without pay.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Trooper Jeremy Garner Arrested Again for Drunk Driving

An Ohio State Trooper is accused in a case of extreme drunk driving. And this is not the first time he's been accused of breaking the law he gets paid to enforce.

Columbus Police say Trooper Jeremy Garner plowed into two parked cars Sunday night, and then attempted to drive away.

Investigators say his blood alcohol level was more than three times the legal limit.

Columbus Police records indicate Garner was aggressively drunk when he got behind the wheel Sunday  night, and crashed into two parked cars.

"I heard a big loud boom outside of my window," said Nicole Celebrezze.
She says she looked out her window to see her car had been hit.

She says she called 911 and ran down to the street, to see the SUV that hit her car pulling away.  "He almost made it to High Street, but I don't think he would have gotten far because his tire was sideways."

By that time, Columbus Police were there, keeping the driver from going any further.

"He pretty much fell out of the automobile," Celebrezze said. "That's when I knew this was a drunk driver."

A Columbus Police crash report shows Garner tested at .277, more than three times the legal limit.

"Didn't seem coherent. I highly doubt he remembers anything that occurred," Celebrezze said.

Records show this wasn't Garner's first OVI charge.

In 2007, Grove City Police stopped him for speeding, clocking him at 69 miles per hour in a 35 zone.

He failed field sobriety tests, and registered a blood alcohol content of .209.

The test was thrown out because of a machine malfunction, but he pleaded guilty, getting 3 days in jail, two years' probation, and a 6 month license suspension.

"When are you going to learn?" asked Celebrezze. "At least learn from the first mistake, if you're going to make a mistake at all."

She knows this could have been worse. "I'm just glad no one got hurt," she said.

But she's troubled by the actions of a public safety professional who should know better.

"It's a serious thing, State Trooper or not. When you're in that position, in the public eye, you should really, really have some consequences for those actions."

Garner faces charges tonight including OVI and fleeing the scene of a crash.

The State Patrol said he is using his own leave time right now as the Patrol investigates the matter.

We asked how his last OVI was handled by the Patrol, but they can't tell us.

The Department of Public Safety only retains internal investigation records for 5 years, so a spokesperson says those records from 2007 no longer exist.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Officer Bradley Bickett Arrested for Drunk Driving

An Aurora police officer who was arrested for drinking and driving and speeding in Wyoming early this month has resigned from the force, officials announced Monday.

Officer Bradley Bickett was arrested in Goshen County, Wyoming on Aug. 10 after witnesses reported him driving recklessly in his marked police cruiser while a passenger threw trash -possibly beer cans- from a window.

Gerald Kirby, also an Aurora officer, was cited for littering.

Both were on their way to the funeral for one of two officers who were recently killed in Rapid City, South Dakota.

"It is unfortunate that a 31-year career of service in law enforcement was destroyed by a single day of poor judgment," said Chief Daniel J. Oates of Bickett’s resignation.

"I thank Brad for his decision. He made the honorable choice to retire. He has accepted responsibility. His apology will mean a great deal to his colleagues in the Department and will help put this unfortunate event behind us.”"

Kirby is on restricted duty pending a full Internal Affairs investigation, police said.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Colorado officer retires after alleged wild ride

A suburban Denver police officer allowed to represent his department at a South Dakota lawman's funeral has retired after authorities say he and a fellow officer took an alcohol-fueled ride through Wyoming on their way to the service.


In his letter of retirement, Officer Bradley B. Bickett apologized for his conduct.

"I offer my most sincere apologies to the Aurora Police Department, the citizens of Aurora, and all of law enforcement for this incident," he wrote, according to a police statement.

Bickett could not be reached for comment.

He and Gerald Kirby were accused of speeding past traffic with their emergency lights flashing and tossing trash from a window on their way to the South Dakota funeral of a fallen police officer.

Their squad car was pulled over Wednesday after authorities say a volunteer firefighter spotted the car driving erratically on a state highway outside Torrington, Wyo., about 50 miles northeast of Cheyenne. Bickett was charged with driving while impaired, careless driving and speeding, while Kirby was charged with littering.
Aurora Police Chief Daniel Oates thanked Bickett for leaving the department.

"It is unfortunate that a 31-year career of service in law enforcement was destroyed by a single day of poor judgment. He made the honorable choice to retire," Oates said in his statement. "His apology will mean a great deal to his colleagues in the department and will help put this unfortunate event behind us."

Kirby remains on restricted duty pending a full internal affairs investigation.

Aurora police spokesman Bob Friel said Friday that Bickett and Kirby received permission to travel to Rapid City, S.D., to represent their department at a funeral for one of two officers killed in a shootout earlier this month. Bickett knew an officer in the South Dakota department, Friel said.

Goshen County Sheriff Donald J. Murphy said Bickett's blood-alcohol level tested at 0.08 percent, the level at which he said a driver is presumed to be under the influence. Another test determined later his level was 0.077 percent, Murphy said. A beer cooler was found in the back seat.

Bickett's speech was described as "slurred" in a booking report posted on the Goshen County Sheriff's Department website. He was released on his own recognizance early Thursday.

The funeral for the fallen officer, Nick Armstrong, 27, was held Thursday. The officers never made it to the funeral. Two Aurora police officers went to Wyoming to pick up Bickett and Kirby. They were immediately placed on desk duty pending an internal investigation.

Armstrong and Officer J. Ryan McCandless were killed in an Aug. 2 shootout that erupted while they were trying to question four men walking with an open alcohol container, Rapid City police spokeswoman Tarah Heupel said. A third officer, Tim Doyle, was hospitalized with multiple gunshot wounds.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Former Officer Martin Abreu Sentenced for Killing Pedestrian

An off-duty Jersey City police officer will spend up to a decade in prison for killing a pedestrian as she crossed a lower Manhattan street.

Martin Abreu, a Jersey City police officer since 2005, was sentenced Tuesday. He pleaded guilty on Dec. 16 to aggravated vehicular homicide.

Abreu's vehicle mowed down Marilyn Huang Feng a year ago as she walked near Battery Park City. The 26-year-old aspiring lawyer died at the scene, and her boyfriend was critically injured.

Authorities said Abreu was drunk, and according to witness accounts, he was driving more than double the speed limit.

Abreu will be eligible for parole in 3 1/2 years. His maximum sentence is 10 1/2 years.

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Officer Daniel McBroom Arrested for Drunk Driving

A Clyde police officer charged with drunken driving and speeding has been placed on unpaid leave.

According to the Norwalk post of Ohio State Highway Patrol, a trooper pulled over off-duty Clyde police Officer Daniel McBroom, 38, on Maple Street near Race Street at 12:35 a.m. Friday.

The trooper clocked McBroom going 40 mph in a 25 mph zone. He suspected McBroom was driving under the influence of alcohol and asked him to submit to a test.

McBroom refused, and the trooper charged him with operating a vehicle under the influence and speeding. He has no prior offenses, according to the patrol.

McBroom was scheduled to appear for an arraignment Tuesday morning in Sandusky County District Court in Clyde, but clerks at the court said he obtained a lawyer and his hearing will be rescheduled.

Clyde police Chief Bruce Gower said he was out of town when the incident occurred, so McBroom was told to use a vacation day to cover his Saturday shift. Gower placed McBroom on unpaid leave after speaking Monday with city manager Dan Weaver. McBroom will remain under suspension while the case is ongoing, Gower said.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Officer Nick Gattermeyer Suspended for High Speed Crash

A West Chester police officer critically hurt in a crash has been punished for his actions leading up to the crash.

West Chester police said Officer Nick Gattermeyer was driving more than 100 mph prior to losing control of his cruiser and crashing into a tree while responding to a burglary call.

Gattermeyer spent several weeks in the hospital and returned to light duty.

West Chester police said Gattermeyer has been suspended for four days without pay for his actions.

Deputy Samantha Lewis Being Investigated for Going 100mph in Her Personal Vehicle

A vehicle crash that involved a Brunswick County, N.C., sheriff deputy, who was estimated at going 100 mph in her personal vehicle while off-duty, remains under investigation, according to authorities.

Samantha Lewis, a 24-year-old deputy who has been with the department since August 2007, crashed her 2010 Ford while off-duty about 12:30 a.m. Thursday along U.S. 17 Bypass in Shallotte near Smith Avenue, according to police.

Lewis was traveling south when her vehicle ran off the road, into a ditch and the vehicle overturned several times, according to the report. Lewis was transported to New Hanover Regional Medical Center where she is being treated for her injuries.

The posted speed limit is 60 mph in the area where the crash occurred, but according to the report.

Officers wrote in the report they did not suspect drugs or alcohol in the crash in which Lewis was traveling at an estimated speed of 100 mph.

Shallotte police continue to investigate the crash and charges are pending against Lewis, according to authorities.

Brunswick County Sheriff John Ingram issued a release Tuesday that showed Lewis came upon two on-duty deputies, who had cleared a domestic disturbance call when Lewis drove up next to them and attempted to pass one deputy on the right at a high rate of speed.

Lewis lost control of her vehicle and crashed suffering life threatening injuries, Ingram said in the release. Drag racing was not an issue, according to an internal investigation by the department’s professional standards unit.

“At this time our concern is for the well being of Ms. Lewis,” Ingram said in a release. “Our prayers go out for her and her family and for her recovery.”

Monday, February 01, 2010

Officer Bisnette Dies After Speeding into Utility Pole

A state police accident investigator has determined that Worcester Police Officer Mark D. Bisnette was probably speeding when his sport utility vehicle struck a pole in Holden Jan. 2, causing his death.

Officer Bisnette, 39, was off-duty and alone in his Ford Explorer when the SUV went off the road and struck a utility pole on Route 31 as he was headed toward Paxton at 2:30 a.m.

“A likely cause of this crash was Bisnette's operation (of the SUV) at an excessive speed for road and weather conditions resulting in his inability to safely negotiate an ‘S' type curvature in the roadway,” Trooper Anne Renzi, of the state police collision reconstruction team, wrote in her report a few days after the crash.

In the report, which was requested by the Telegram & Gazette, Trooper Renzi noted that the road was covered in snow, and that continuing snowfall made it difficult to estimate the speed of the vehicle or whether the off-duty officer used his brakes.

However, the trooper also noted that the force of the crash was great enough to sever the utility pole.

Significant portions of the 11-page report were blacked out, or redacted.

Jane O'Brien, an associate chief legal counsel for the state police, wrote in an accompanying letter to the T&G that the information was withheld because of a provision in the state public records law that exempts from disclosure material that violates the privacy of an individual.

In her report, Trooper Renzi added that it is unknown whether any other factors contributed to the crash, including medical issues, driver distraction, drowsiness or any other kind of impairment.

State public safety officials have said toxicology tests were performed but were not needed to determine the cause of Officer Bisnette's death. The results of such tests are protected by medical privacy laws.

An external examination performed by a state medical examiner found that the officer died from asphyxiation and loss of oxygen to the brain, possibly as a result of being strangled by his seat belt as he hung upside down in the SUV.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Officer Christine Phinney Charged with Disorderly Conduct & Reckless Driving

A North Charleston police officer is placed on administrative duty and under investigation after Dorchester deputies pulled her over for speeding.

On Christmas Eve, officers charged 41-year-old Christine Phinney, the wife of a Dorchester County Sheriff's Lieutenant, with offenses that could have put her behind bars, but she never went to jail.

"I'm a police officer," yelled Phinney on the dash cam video. "Do you know see my torn lip? Do you not see my lip?"

Police say she was handcuffed and wrestled to the ground. After the small fight she said, "He's going to love it when he gets sued for a (expletive) fat lip."

Phinney worked as an officer with North Charleston Police Department. "I pull people for driving 100 mph, you know what they say? I'm a narcotics officer in an unmarked vehicle. Well just slow it down and have a good night. As long as the show me a badge, I don't care," said Phinney.

She tells the deputy she is Tony Phinney's wife, a lieutenant with the same agency that pulled her over.

Despite her connection, they charged her with disorderly conduct and reckless driving. Maj. John Garrison says the majority of people with those charges get a court date, but they're not taken to jail.

"It's not like there was preference shown it was treated like any other case," said Garrison.

It all started after officers saw Phinney speeding down Central Avenue in Summerville.

They say she drove in the median and passed cars pulled over for the blue lights. Eventually she turned in to the White Gables subdivision and stopped for officers. An incident report says they clocked her going 65 in a 40 mph speed zone.

"In this instance it did involve another police officer. Her supervisors in North Charleston were notified. They responded and requested that they be allowed to take custody of her. They did what they had to do as far as department police and their internal affairs investigation," said Maj. Garrison.

He says she could be fined, spend up to 60 days in jail, and get six points on her license for the charges. He says alcohol was not a factor.

North Charleston Police department has placed Phinney on administrative duty as she is being investigated.
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Friday, January 08, 2010

Former Officer Wade Merritt Charged with Impersonating a Police Officer

A former Algonquin police officer who police say flashed a badge during a recent traffic stop was arrested Friday.

He had resigned from the force in June after being convicted of domestic battery.

Wade Merritt, 46, who lives near Oakwood Hills, was stopped at 8:17 a.m. Jan. 1 at Route 14 and Federal Drive in connection with speeding, said Deputy Police Chief Dennis Harris of the Crystal Lake Police Department.

At that time, Merritt presented a police badge to the officer, Harris said.

Merritt had been a sergeant with the Algonquin department for 23 years.

He resigned in June 2009, nearly a month after he was found guilty of domestic battery in a March incident at his home.

Before his resignation, Merritt had been suspended without pay for more than a month by police commissioners.

Merritt surrendered himself to Crystal Lake police Friday on a warrant of false impersonation of a peace officer, a Class 4 felony, as well as speeding. He was released on $1,075 cash bond.

Merritt is scheduled to appear in court at 9 a.m. Jan. 28.

Thursday, January 07, 2010

Officer Robert Tracy Buck Charged with Drunk Driving

An Ogden police officer charged with drunken driving resolved his case this week by pleading guilty to "impaired driving."

Officer Robert Tracy Buck, 35, was pulled over Aug. 30 after a Harrisville officer observed him speeding and drifting over the center line.

Buck, who failed a field sobriety test and admitted to police he "had too many to be driving," had a blood-alcohol content of 0.12, according to a police report.

Charged with class B misdemeanor driving under the influence, Buck was scheduled for trial Thursday in Harrisville's justice court.

Instead, the officer pleaded guilty on Wednesday to the impaired driving charge, which is also a class B misdemeanor.

Harrisville Justice Court Judge James Beesley suspended a potential six-month jail term and ordered Buck to pay a $1,340 fine, perform 48 hours of community service and complete counseling.

Buck is to remain on probation until the fine is paid and he has completed the other sentencing requirements, according to a docket entry.

Neither the prosecutor nor Buck's defense attorney were immediately available for comment on Thursday.

Buck remains on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal affairs investigation, Ogden Police Chief Jon Greiner said Thursday.

Last month, another Ogden police officer charged with DUI, Jared Ingalsbe, resolved his case by pleading guilty to a non-alcohol-related reckless driving charge.
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On June 30, Ingalsbe crashed into two power poles, four cars and a house in Harrisville.

There was both alcohol and a prescription sleep medication in Ingalsbe's bloodstream and he was initially charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

Prosecutors said the plea deal was the result of problems proving in court that Ingalsbe was driving while impaired.

Ingalsbe, who claimed he simply fell asleep at the wheel, has been returned to duty.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Officer Jesus Cisneros Accused of Fatal Crash was Speeding

In addition to being intoxicated, a Fort Worth police officer was speeding when he collided with a car earlier this month, killing its 27-year-old driver, according to an arrest warrant affidavit released Tuesday.

Jesus Cisneros is believed to have been traveling at least twice the posted speed limit when his unmarked city vehicle struck Sonia Baker’s PT Cruiser at the intersection of Columbus Trail and Evening Star, according to the affidavit, written by traffic investigator R.L. Wangler.

“The collision was of such a violent nature that the vehicles traveled at least 100 feet to rest,” the affidavit states.

The posted speed limit, according to an accident report, is 35 mph.

Cisneros surrendered Monday to the Tarrant County Jail on an arrest warrant for intoxication manslaughter. He was released after posting a $25,000 bond.

As conditions of his bail, he will be required to install a Breathalyzer in his vehicle within 30 days, cannot drive without the device and is prohibited from consuming alcoholic beverages, according to Tarrant County probation department records.

Cisneros, 37, who police say has submitted his resignation, is accused of driving intoxicated in his unmarked patrol car on Dec. 11 before the crash that killed Sonia Baker. Fort Worth police said Cisneros’ blood-alcohol content was 0.17.

Jail records show a warrant was issued for Cisneros’ arrest on suspicion of intoxication manslaughter, a felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.

Lt. Paul Henderson, a Fort Worth police spokesman, said the department will issue a statement today about Cisneros’ case.

"Regardless of who you are or who you work for, DWI is a crime and we will pursue it," he said.

Baker’s husband, Demond Baker, said Monday night that he was unaware Cisneros is facing charges.

"Of course I want him to be prosecuted to the fullest," Baker said. "I will leave it in God’s hands."

Fort Worth Police Chief Jeff Halstead issued a statement last week saying the department was "embarrassed by this tragic incident." Mayor Mike Moncrief was also critical of the incident.

Baker was driving to a fast-food restaurant near her southwest Fort Worth home about 2:30 a.m. when she turned in front of Cisneros’ Toyota Highlander. Baker had two sons, ages 4 and 5.

Police, who consulted a private accident reconstruction company that works with the Tarrant County district attorney, have not said whether speed was a factor or whether Baker was at fault in the crash. Police have also not released the findings of an internal affairs investigation, which is examining what Cisneros was doing before the crash.

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Officer Jason Anderson Charged with Manslaughter

Now that the voluminous Connecticut State Police report is in on the horrific deaths of two Milford teens struck by a speeding police officer, the Milford Board of Police Commissioners should move quickly to get Officer Jason Anderson off the payroll.

Whether the board decides to fire the officer, who was captured on video flying at 94 mph in the moments leading up to the fatal crash, it should change the officer's suspension to a non-paid one.

Anderson's been charged with two counts of manslaughter in the deaths of 19-year-old David Servin and Ashlie Krakowski, whose car he rammed shortly after 2 a.m. last June while he and another officer were speeding down the Boston Post Road on their way back from a mutual aid call in West Haven.

Until release of the State Police report -- and there's no question that a thorough, deliberate investigation was called for and done -- the city of Milford has said it could not conduct its own investigation.

Therefore, the board suspended Anderson with pay after he was charged in the deaths.

The facts in the case, as most dramatically displayed in a video shot by the dashboard camera of another officer who was on the scene, show that Anderson was driving in a way so reckless as to warrant dismissal.

For anyone to be driving at over 90 mph on the Post Road, regardless of the time of day, is simply outrageous. And when it's a sworn officer of the law, it's really beyond the pale.

Anderson will have his day in court to answer the criminal charges, but his behavior warrants the most severe sanction the city can issue.
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Other Information: http://www.connpost.com/ci_13953900

Sunday, December 06, 2009

Officer Scott Morton's 'Horseplaying' Causes Accident

Clute Police Department Officer Scott Morton was driving at least 20 mph over the posted limit and getting right behind another Clute officer when he lost control of his car, skidded across three lanes and hit a guardrail, according to police.

A Department of Public Safety report released Friday states Morton, 41, was driving at least 70 mph in the center lane on Highway 288, also known as Highway 332. Morton was approaching Officer Tony Standley, who also was driving a patrol car in the center lane, at 2:47 a.m. Nov. 18.

Before the accident, Morton had been speeding up and getting close to Standley’s bumper before Standley would accelerate to get away, Clute Police Capt. Robin Carlton said.

Both officers were headed to Whataburger, where they were set to meet other officers for a meal. Carlton said the pair were “horseplaying” when the wreck occurred.

As Morton quickly approached again, Standley went to the left lane to get out of the way, Carlton said. Morton also went to the left lane and attempted to pass in the median, the report stated.

“He was closing that gap too quickly,” said DPS Trooper David Wyman, who investigated the wreck and submitted his report to Clute police.

Morton then overcorrected, went into a skid, hit the shoulder and flipped at least twice in the ditch, Wyman said. He was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from the car 40 to 50 feet.

Morton was flown to Memorial Hermann Hospital from the scene with broken ankles, a broken pelvis, collapsed lung and slight bleeding in his brain. He is at home healing from the accident, and The Facts could not reach him for comment.

Morton still is using a wheelchair, but soon will start physical therapy so he can walk, Carlton said.

He will receive no traffic citation, Carlton said. The Department of Public Safety simply puts together the report, and it is Clute’s responsibility to take action, DPS Sgt. David Janak said.

“We will handle it in-house,” Clute Police Chief Mark Wicker said. “We won’t do anything until he’s well and back to 100 percent.”

Punishment options include a letter of reprimand or a few days off without pay, Carlton said.

Video footage and audio of calls to the Clute dispatcher indicate Standley immediately stopped and called for an ambulance. The Facts obtained the video through an open records request.

Standley also was speeding during the accident, Carlton said. Standley will receive no punishment, though it appears the wreck would not have occurred if he hadn’t switched lanes, Wicker said.

The Clute Police Department is investigating Standley’s role in the accident, Wicker said. However, it appears he wasn’t feeling well and simply was ready for his shift to end, he said.

Wicker said he hopes speeding is not common for officers because speeding and getting close to someone’s bumper are inappropriate, he said.

The patrol car Morton was driving, a 2007 Ford Crown Victoria, was totaled, but it already was set to be replaced within the next few weeks, Wicker said. It would have been passed down to a school resource officer, he said.

The department has no plans to buy a new car to replace the vehicle, he said.

Morton worked for the Clute department for three years, then moved to the Richwood Police Department for a year before returning to Clute in June, Carlton said.
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YouTube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3NMG831TcU

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Officer Andrew Kelly Indicted for Running Over Pastor's Daughter

NYPD COP Andrew Kelly was indicted for vehicular manslaughter, drunken driving and speeding Wednesday, two weeks after running over a pastor's daughter.

Kelly could face as much as seven years in prison if convicted in the Sept. 27 crash that killed Vionique Valnord, 32.

The off-duty officer's lawyer said he was not drunk. "This was a tragic, horrific accident," said Arthur Aidala. "He was driving on a dark, rainy, foggy night."

Authorities say he was glassy-eyed, reeked of booze and slurred his words - but he refused a Breathalyzer test.

A blood-alcohol test wasn't performed until more than seven hours later, and it showed no alcohol in his system by then.

Kelly declined to testify before a Brooklyn grand jury, but the panel heard from an accident reconstruction expert, witnesses at the scene and three of Kelly's passengers, sources said.

The witnesses included a buddy who told cops after the crash Kelly had been in two bars and drank six to eight beers.

Kelly was suspended, along with a cop at the scene who gave him water and gum. A sergeant has been transferred during an internal probe.

The Valnords' lawyer said his clients are confident they will get "justice."

"The family now awaits the investigation of the Internal Affairs Bureau to determine if there was an attempt to cover up," lawyer Sanford Rubenstein said.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/10/14/2009-10-14_accused_dwi_cop_andrew_kelly_indicted_for_vehicular_manslaughter_.html#ixzz0U4h0BrSo

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Officer Janet Hawkins Charged with Resisting Arrest

A Daytona Beach police officer was arrested in Holly Hill Tuesday night after authorities said she became violent during a traffic stop and two injured officers.

Janet Hawkins was placed on administrative leave following the incident and faces three charges: careless driving, resisting arrest with violence and resisting arrest without violence.

Investigators said Hawkins was stopped for speeding while apparently heading to the Holly Hill Police Department after learning her 25-year-old son had been arrested during a conflict at an apartment complex.

A police report indicated Hawkins was off-duty and driving her personal car at the time of the traffic stop. The report said she was angered after identifying herself as a police officer, called the Holly Hill officers rednecks and corrupt and said she would sue them for "messing with her family."

Holly Hill police said they tried to calm the situation, but that Hawkins only became more hostile and volatile when they tried to arrest her.

"As they attempt to take her into custody, she then enters her vehicle through the open window. They fear that she is trying to access a weapon. At that point, they went hands-on with her and attempted to place her in hand restraints. That's when she responded with law enforcement defensive tactics against my officers, ultimately injuring one of them," Holly Hill Police Chief Mark Barker said.

One officer involved in the incident suffered a sprained wrist and the other twisted a knee.

Authorities said Hawkins had a gun in her purse but it did not become a factor in the arrest.

The mayor of Holly Hill witnessed part of the confrontation.

"Agitated, belligerent, it was obvious she had some issues with being stopped," Roland Via said.

Hawkins was released from jail on bond on Wednesday and faces an internal affairs investigation. She most recently served in the Daytona Beach Police Department's cold case squad.

Hawkins' younger son said he doesn't buy the story.

"Her being an officer for more than 10 years, I think she would know what resisting arrest is and know not to do that," he said.

A check of her personnel records indicated there was an incident several years ago in which she slapped a fellow officer, but Daytona Beach Police Chief Michael Chitwood said she had done a great job recently, and he said he was very disappointed.
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http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/volusia_news/092309_detective_arrested

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Undercover Officer Charged with Street Racing

An undercover Durham Regional Police officer had his cover blown Wednesday by an unlikely suspect: the Ontario Provincial Police, who charged him with street racing and impounded his unmarked police car.

The incident was No. 3 in a curious summer string of embarrassing driving-related arrests involving GTA emergency personnel. In late June, a Toronto deputy fire chief was charged with street racing. In July, a Toronto paramedic and union leader was charged with stealing an ambulance.

The 34-year-old male Durham officer, a 10-year veteran of the force, was accused of driving 150 km/h or faster on Highway 115 in Peterborough County on Wednesday afternoon. The OPP would not release his name for fear the disclosure would compromise his work.

In addition to losing his police car, the officer's driver's licence was suspended for a week. He could face professional discipline, depending on the facts and outcome of the case, said Durham Insp. Bruce Townley. He said the incident was "extremely disappointing," given the force's focus on road safety.

Toronto deputy fire chief Daryl Fuglerud's driver's licence was suspended and his department SUV was impounded when he was charged for driving faster than 150 km/h on June 26. He said he was late for a funeral.

Glenn Fontaine, a paramedic and the ambulance unit chair of Local 416 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, was charged with theft and mischief after an ambulance with a union poster on it was abandoned with its lights flashing outside city hall early on June 22, the first day of the city workers' strike.