Man Stops Deputy For Speeding, Entire Family Jailed

[matcom]

<snip>

McMINNVILLE, Tenn. -- A motorist's decision to stop a deputy for speeding escalated into a series of incidents than ended with his entire family joining him in jail.

Last week, Lance E. Champion, 23, reportedly pulled in behind Deputy Lt. Stan Hillis across from the local jail and told Hillis he had violated the speed limit. By the end of their conversation, Champion was in custody charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and evading arrest.

Champion called his mother, Janice K. Champion, 48, who arrived with her 17-year-old son. The teen allegedly slapped the hand of a deputy who was gesturing for them to leave the area as Lance Champion's vehicle was about to be towed.

"If you strike an officer, you're going to jail 100 percent of the time," said Sheriff Jackie Matheny.

http://www.wftv.com/newsofthestrange/3442166/detail.html

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

1. Why do stupid people breed?

[Dufaeth]

2. The cops out there were already pissed off jerks

last week because they had to deal with Bonnaroo.

[GOPisEvil]

3. Wait...a private citizen pulled over a Deputy?

And they're surprised it ended badly? Hmmm...

[Dufaeth]

6. I see cops flagrantly violating the speed limit all the time

I'm willing to give some leniency, but they aren't above the law.

[GOPisEvil]

7. Yeah, I know they aren't.

But there are probably better ways to complain. Ways that won't land you in jail.

[lpbk2713]

8. The kid's main mistake was that he didn't just pull over a deputy.........

he pulled over a lieutenant. The lieutenant and his underlings were not about to let something like this pass unchallenged. After all, what would they say at the coffee shop?

[oblivious]

4. Ha Ha. I once did that. The cops were embarassed, but lied.

Said they were on a call. Sitting in the Donut Shop parking lot.

[TX-RAT]

10. Sitting in the Donut Shop parking lot

Then what was the violation?

[oblivious]

11. I didn't pull them over. I followed them until they stopped.

They had given me a ticket for going 5 mph over the limit, and let me leave first. Then they passed me going at least 15mph over the limit with no flashing lights or siren. They seemed to be doing the rounds and sped up and down a few side streets. That got me pissed off because it's a bit dangerous even though it was late at night, so when I saw them pull into a Donut Shop parking lot I pulled in behind them, knocked on their window and asked why they were driving so dangerously with no warning lights. They said they were on a call. I said, "to the Donut Shop"? The driver shrugged his shoulders, like wtf are you gonna do about it. So I left.

[TX-RAT]

13. Could very well have been on a call

When running code 1 you run without lights and siren. My next question would be, wheres your radar?

[oblivious]

15. No, it was the way he answered that made me certain it wasn't.

Sort of a sheepish grin at first. Then they started getting a bit pissed.

And I didn't need radar to know they were really speeding. I was going 30 and they left me standing. When I say 15 over the limit, I mean, at least.

[TX-RAT]

16. And I didn't need radar to know they were really speeding

If the officer needs one, you need one. Otherwise it's a wast of time. What made you think you had the right to do that?

[sendero]

26. Bullshit...

... the cops do not need a radar clock to ticket you for excessive speed, in Texas or probably most other states.

I'm fucking sick and tired of cops who think they are completely above the law. They arent'.

Just last week one pulled in front of my wife and she almost hit him. He made no attempt to perform the manoevre correctly, he just swung his car in front of ours taking off from a red light, so he could pull over a couple black guys with the gall to drive in plano.

Dallas police have killed several innocent people in recent years, driving at top speed without the proper precautions, and often for the flimsiest of reasons. It's bullshit.

[TX-RAT]

27. I'm sure you have links are info to back this up.

(the cops do not need a radar clock to ticket you for excessive speed)
Incorrect.

(I'm fucking sick and tired of cops who think they are completely above the law. They aren't'.)
Doesn't deserve an answer. Being you've brought no proof to the debate.


(Dallas police have killed several innocent people in recent years, driving at top speed without the proper precautions, and often for the flimsiest of reasons. It's bullshit.)
Need info please. Hearsay and your opinion don't hold up.

[oblivious]

29. What makes me think I had the right to do that?

Because I was a member of the community.

You seem to think I was a troublemaker or something. I was fairly new to the town, but I was a partner in the second largest employer in the region, and one of my partners and friends was the town mayor. My company was the main client for many of the town's small businesses, and I was interviewed regularly by the local TV station and newspaper about employment prospects. So I wasn't an itinerant drug dealer or anything.

The police in the town were nice guys, and allowed traffic on the main highway going through town to run at 5 to 10 mph over the 30mph limit. I had never heard of anyone getting a ticket for going 35 to 40. Yet these new guys (Quebec Provincial Police transferees) gave me a ticket at 2am for going 35. I was angry, but they got me, so ok. But then, right in my face they sped off, along the main drag and then up and down the side streets for no apparent reason, ending up at the Donut Shop. I'd never seen the regular cops in my town act like that before and, given my secure position in the town, and being pissed off, thought if I didn't question them, no one would. But, as you said, I had no proof, so there was nothing I could do except confront them with what I thought was their dangerous and hypocritical behaviour.

I forgot about it until reading this headline yesterday. It was 12 years ago. I don't think it's fair of you to automatically assume that all cops are right all of the time. Most of them are good guys, but there are a few cowboys around, and I think it is a citizen's duty to remind them that they are as obligated to respect the law as the rest of us are.

[TX-RAT]

30. What in the hell did you think you were going to accomplice.

[oblivious]

31. Nothing really. Just give them a piece of my mind.

Actually I regretted it the next day. I didn't want to cause them trouble. I just wanted them to be fair. If they thought my speeding was dangerous, then theirs was 5x more dangerous. And until then there had been an understanding in the town that 40mph on the main highway was acceptable. So I hope they got the message.

Anyway I really didn't want to bore you with this story. I thought a two line comment would do it.

[jilln]

5. I think you are missing the point

Police are not supposed to be above the law, and anyone who's had dealings with them knows how bogus "disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and evading arrest" charges are.

Discon can be talking back to a policeman, resisting arrest can be refusing to give your name (which is not required by law). Basically if a policeman wants to arrest you they will find a reason.

[TX-RAT]

9. (which is not required by law).

Failure to identify, is a crime.

[Jim__]

12. You're right, police are not above the law and a policeman can

almost always find a reason to arrest you.

But, if you see a cop speeding in his patrol car, use common sense. In the first place; unless he was seriously exceeding the limit; there are bigger fish to fry. Second, if you really have to take some action; write a letter to the editor giving the number of the patrol car and the time. Directly confronting a cop about this is just looking for trouble.

You have to pick your fights carefully.

[jilln]

19. but that's exactly the POINT

Confronting a policeman about breaking the law should not be "looking for trouble." And who knows the circumstances, maybe the cop was speeding through a school zone or there were kids playing nearby or something. I think the guy was brave, whether you think it was too small a battle or not. More people should stand up to "authority" when it does the wrong thing ... that's a very frequent topic on these boards when it's Bush, why not when it's some policeman?

[TX-RAT]

20. "looking for trouble

Can you pull a citizen over for speeding, NO. Then why do you think you could pull over a officer. You have the authority to do neither.
Pulling a citizen over could get you shot.

[jilln]

21. There is such a thing as a citizen's arrest.

[TX-RAT]

22. Not in this case.

[Jim__]

32. The story doesn't give the full circumstances, so, it's possible the

guy was doing the right thing. It doesn't sound like it to me:

Last week, Lance E. Champion, 23, reportedly pulled in behind Deputy Lt. Stan Hillis across from the local jail and told Hillis he had violated the speed limit. By the end of their conversation, Champion was in custody charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and evading arrest.

There is nothing in the story about endangering children or speeding through a school zone. The family's lawyer defends the family; but doesn't allege anything like that.

Confronting some one is, by definition, getting in their face. A sure way to find trouble is to get in someone's face. I agree with what you say about standing up to authority. And, OK, the cops can drop a disorderly conduct charge on you anytime they want. This guy also got resisting arrest and evading arrest. That implies to me that he wasn't behaving very calmly throughout the incident. If you're going to confront a cop, you should be ready to be arrested and take your case to court. It sounds like this guy didn't expect to be arrested, and wouldn't accept being arrested calmly. That implies to me that his action wasn't very well thought out. If you're going to do it; know what it implies.

[King Of Paperboys]

14. Hey jilln

Did you see? AFTER you made that post, the SCOTUS said that you DO have to give your name... it's constitutional, according to today's 5-4 decision.

Just an observation.

[jilln]

17. damn...

I did not even know that was being decided.

Well, just like they arrest people in order to get their fingerprints, now they will just demand to see protesters' ID so they can add us all to the databse and pretty soon no one will be able to fly. I'm a yellow, I once stood in the wrong spot on the street during a demo, got arrested and added to the database, Now every flight involves a conversation with homeland security about animal rights.

[Brahma Bull]

18. The law has just changed today, jilln.

You CAN get arrested now for refusing to give your name. :grr:

Go here to find out more.

[TX-RAT]

23. You always could.

[Brahma Bull]

24. Really?

I thought you could refuse to give your name. :shrug:

[TX-RAT]

25. Failure to identify to law enforcement

Why wouldn't you want to identify.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

28. I've seen Prince George's County police

speed and drive in a reckless manner when clearly notacting in the line of duty. I even saw one woman officer dump her McDonald's trash in the middle of the parking lot!

I've not personally witnessed the brutality and racism of which they've often been accused; but incidents such as those I've seen make the stories easier to believe.

[matcom]

33. i remember PG county police

the WORST back in the 80's

absolutely the worst