Got a ticket today

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So, nobody asked how you're feeling Howie. How is the back, etc.?
I just got back from Morning Mass at St. Anthony's Catholic Church here in Chandler, I was thanking the Lord for protecting our RadioHowie from greater harm.

I also said thirty Hail Marys and lit ten candles in gratefulness to God for sparing RH's face, because you just cannot fix PURE UGLY!

 
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Many will advertise on their website... and they go into private practice when they leave their elected position. They tend to know the players and the ropes better than anyone else.

 
Um, if they retired, then they're an ex-something, or they used to be something. Doing both is sorta weird. That's where I was poking. ;)

 
geez everyone

Howie, go in for the prelim talk with the asst traffic DA as noted on the ticket

you plead then and need no prep...here, all persons involved are subeoned, so all drivers will be there to give statement if necessary

explain and ask what are your options

Im sure you've made a statement to your insurance co, but I was surprised in a cse where I wanted to fight what the police report said and the DA lowered the ticket to a non moving.

I thought I was covered, but AIG had settled a passenger in other vehicle lawsuit for injury for $23k when they asked for medical, pain & suffering. I was screwed when my rates went up 25% for 3 years and called them to ask why. My brother the insurance agent ran my MVR and there is was against my record with no input from me !!!

 
. . .there is was against my record with no input from me !!!
Can't think of a better example for a reason to be lawyered up.

(Says the guy who handled his own divorce because he couldn't shit ten grand! Or even one, for that matter.)

 
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A little more complex than when I had someone run into the back of me while I was stopped last year. She hopped out of the car and her first words were "Now I'm really going to be late for my hair appointment."

 
FINALLY, amost six months after the fact, jurisprudence has run its course.

Went to court today for the trial. Two cases ahead of mine, both quickies that were pleaded out.

There were 4 witness for the case....the lady I hit, the 17 year-old girl who hit me, and the hot 30-something that hit the 17 year old that hit me.

First to testify was the 17 year-old that hit me. Gawd, teenagers are STOOPID!!!

I mean, REALLY STOOPID. After the judge asked her a few preliminary questions he asked "How fast were you going?" "About 40-45 mph" the girl replies. "How close behind were you?" from the judge. The idjit teenager replies "three or four feet." The judge, a bit taken aback about the statement, asks again "how far away from Mr. Howard's car were you?" "Three, maybe four feet" she replies. "And how fast?" again the judge asks. "I wasn't speeding, sir...no more than 45" is the reply.

Thank you, the judge replies and then asks "were you cited in the accident?"

"No, sir" is her reply.

So, after the first witness, the judge has determined that the person who hit ME was following too closely, AND didn't get a ticket for it.

Then the next witness, the lady whom I hit, comes in. Basically tells the judge she was hit one time, and the damage on her car is less than $100 on a '98 Lexus. She's dismissed.

Then comes my ace-in-the-hole....the guy who runs the body shop that fixed my car. Complete with photos, insurance documents, certification statements as an accident re-constructionist -- the whole nine yards.

Using the photos, he describes to the judge how that 90% of the $6000 in damages to my car occurred to the uni-body frame in the REAR of my car, including buckled floor panels, to the point the floor pan of the trunk had to be replaced because it was folded around the spare in the tire-well, while the VISIBLE damage to the car was the bent hood, grill and broken lights on the font of the vehicle.

The judge asks him "as a certified accident re-constructionist, what do you determine from the accident damage?" "Easy, your honor" he replies. "The vehicle was struck with significant impact from the rear and driven forward in to the vehicle in front. Nothing else could explain the cosmetic damage to the front of the vehicle along with the catastrophic damage in the rear."

He's dismissed, and I'm called to testify.

"Mr. Howard, give your account of what happened" the judge says.

"I'm stopped in traffic, and get slammed into the rear, driving me forward in to the first car" I say.

He sits me down and calls on the LEO who wrote me up. Well, guess who didn't bother to show up!?!? Mr. Smart-Ass-Know-It-All Officer who decided I was at fault because my car's grill was damaged, but didn't bother opening the truck to see that my car's rear end was shorter by about 1 foot.

"NOT GUILTY! HAVE A NICE DAY!"

Took almost 6 months to conclude this nightmare, but it's all over.

What really grinds me is two things -- (1) the charging officer never showed up for my pretrial hearing OR for the trial, and (2) the girl who hit me wasn't cited for causing $6000 in damages to my (wife's) car because SHE was doing what I was charged with -- Following Too Closely.

Sometimes....JUST sometimes.....ya get a break in life. :D

Now I don't want my forum LEO buddies to think I have an axe to grind against police, but the officer NEVER replied to my lawyer's emails requesting a conference to give him a chance to pull the citation, based on the accident re-constructionist's determinations, and he never showed up at the pretrial hearing OR the final disposition hearing. I guess it's just the arrogance of the little prick, assuming MY guilt, because the front EXTERIOR damage on my car was worse than EXTERIOR damage in the rear. I can still hear him today "Mister Howard, my experience as a Police Officer tells me you were at fault because of the damage to the FRONT of your car." Sheesh!!

Oh well, back to work!

 
RH,

Congrats on your Success! and Thanks for sharing...great hearing with a reasonable Judge.

I love it when Common Sense Rules.

 
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"NOT GUILTY, BUT DAMN YOU'RE UGLY! HAVE A NICE DAY, YOU JACKASS!"
Fixed.

HowieInFlight.jpg


 
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Congrats at having your slate wiped clean for this issue. I bet it is 6 months of frustration you wish you had back.

As far as the officer...you will probably agree...there's one in every crowd.

 
I hope your insurance company goes after the 17-year old's insurance (probably her parents') to get the damages paid for, or more likely a replacement vehicle (based on the vehicle value and level of damage - sounds like it's close to totalled).

 
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