Okay this is an admittedly odd post. But I figured it needed to be done. I while back i got pulled over so to speak, by a california police officer. It's the 3rd time it's happened since I've been out here; and each time gets more frustrating than the last.
The result of this most recent encounter has lead to a court trial which I'm in the process of getting ready for. So to let you guys know what's up, here's the letter I submitted during my December arraignment.
*I've scrambled certain street names and numbers, etc to protect my own personal info as well as the identity of the officers until a verdict has been rendered.*===
December 2009
LA County Sheriff’s Dept.
Pomona North Courthouse
350 West Mission Blvd
Pomona, CA 91766-1607
Re: Citation # W475444
Confirmation # T933432
To Whom It May Concern:
This is a letter of protest regarding citation # W473444 which was issued to me by Officer McDonald #444923 on 8/20/09.
On Thursday, August 20, 2009 I was driving home to DINSON VINT from my usual late-night workout from the 24 Hr Fitness (on MALL Ave/VAILL Blvd in the CINNN, CA. I took my usual route home: GGGG Ave to DDD DDD Blvd to NNNNN Road. Prior to reaching SHOUTTS Rd, I decided to stop in at the Chase Manhattan ATM on the corner of CEAVE + CEAVE Dr. to make a quick withdrawal for the morning.
And that’s when the problems began….
I pulled into the Chase Bank parking lot at about 1:10am and parked facing the street. Just as I was about to turn off my engine a squad car pulled up behind me and blocked me in. The cars high beams and searchlights were flashing so bright I was unable to identify the car’s number. The officer got out and approached my vehicle, driver side.
“Sir, you were driving without your lights on. That’s a violation.” The officer told me.
I knew that while I was driving my girlfriend’s car—a Jeep Liberty—and wasn’t totally familiar with all its features as we’d only had the care a couple weeks—my lights had been on, So I disagreed with the officer.
“No sir,” I told the officer “My lights were on.”
You drove all the way down DDD RRR with no lights on.” The officer responded. “Let me see your license and registration.”
And with that the officer walked back towards his car.
“Keep your hands on the wheel and wait.”
First off, this officer was not following me. In fact I passed him as his car sat at the red on G-S Road prior to my pulling into the parking lot. Given the winding, rolling, twisting nature of DDD RRR Blvd, it’s impossible to see down the street for that a few yards, much less from where I was.
Given officer McDonald’s position and the lack of a straight line of vision down DDD RRR Blvd there’s no way he could’ve possibly seen me driving long enough to claim that I “drove all the way down DDD RRR without my lights on.”
After sitting for about 10-15 more minutes a second squad car officer arrives on the scene, this time parking near the first squad car. An officer gets out and goes over to the other car.
Finally the second officer calls out, “Sir, what model Jeep is that?”
“Jeep Liberty” I politely respond.
The officer walks back to the squad car; and this is the extent of my entire communication with him for the duration. As I look around to see what’s going on with them, one of the officers calls out:
“Sir, please keep your hands on the steering wheel and faced forward.”
By now, about 30 minutes has gone by with no communication from the officer who first approached me. I’m just stuck sitting in my girlfriend’s car in a parking lot at almost 2am trying to figure out what’s going on.
After another 10 minutes or so, a third police car pulls in behind me. This time a tall, broad-shouldered officer gets out and approaches the other officers. As I look around to see what’s going on, one of the officers yells out at me:
“Keep your hands on the steering wheel and face forward!”
Because I’m not allowed to look behind me, I’m unable to identify either officer or their car numbers.
More time goes by. I’m starting to itch. My face, which was covered in sweat from the gym is now covered in dried, salty, itchy residue as I’ve been sitting in my car a good 40 minutes now. I reach up to scratch my face and wipe the itchy sweat off.
“Sir, keep your hands on the steering wheel and face forward!”
I’m being yelled at again, this time by the third cop—the last one on the scene.
At this point I’m actually scared. I’m stuck in a parking lot at 2 in the morning with 3 police officers that I can’t identify. I’m not sure why I’ve been surrounded in the first place and I’m not allowed to leave.
More time goes by.
Finally the first cop comes back.
“I’m citing you for driving without your lights on and for driving without a driver’s license.” He says.
“But I have a driver’s license,” I respond. “My Illinois license.”
As a new resident to California I’ve been driving with my California State ID and my Illinois license, which is valid thru April 2010. In fact, I’ve driven in several states with my Illinois license with no problem.
Still the officer explains that I needed to have a California license within a few months of residency otherwise it’s a violation. He then hands me his ticket pad to sign, along with a copy of the ticket.
“You should get your license before your court date, so bring that with you.”
And with that, the officers get back into their cars and finally drive off.
When all was said and done, I was detained in a parking lot for almost an hour by 3 police officers at 2am on a deserted street.
The officers involved in this incident while probably well-meaning in intent, clearly overreacted. It doesn’t take 3 squad cars to write a ticket for a compliant civilian with no criminal record and posing no threat. This show of force is unnecessarily intimidating. Also the officers did not identify themselves. The only reason I know McDonald’s name is because it’s on the ticket.
In the end, there were a lot of violations to go around, primarily committed by the California Sheriffs on the scene.
I ask that the court take this account in consideration in its ruling in my case.
Thank you.
Respectfully,
BBBIN WILTON
111 South ROCKEN Rd
DDD BBB EEE, CA 79999
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