Cop gets hit by old lady, chases her, lets her go.

[Plaidman]

Wow. Cop was doing a routine traffic stop, gets hit by a 83 lady driving by him, she doesn't realize it, he gets on his bike and goes after her, and cites her, but doesn't arrest her.

http://www.kgw.com/news-local/storie...23e6c.html?npc

[crazylegs]

Maybe its not an arrestable offence, some traffic offences don't carry that power.

I would have suggested Driving Without Due Care and Attention rather than anything else though.

[Plaidman]

Well its a hit and run IMO, which I thought was arrestable, but she honestly didn't seem to realize she hit him. So I don't know

[crazylegs]

I would imagine the Officer used his discretion, no need to subject a little old lady to the trauma of arrest etc, just let the courts deal.

[tropicsgoddess]

Because it wasn't a huge deal in terms of injuries and there was no property damage was probably why the office gave her a citation. She just misjudged what was a safe distance from another vehicle.

[Gawdzillers]

I would imagine the Officer used his discretion, no need to subject a little old lady to the trauma of arrest etc, just let the courts deal.

Yep.
If you arrest a little old lady, everyone's gonna think you're the world's biggest prick.
"Laws be damned, he's just mean!"

[marasbaras]

Honestly, not noticing that you hit someone? Her senses are too impaired for her to be driving.

[Crazeyal]

Not really. You can scrape someone with your mirror, gouge the heck out of them, and not rock the vehicle signifigantly. but damn.. THAT'S a nice guy.. hit me with your car and I let you off with a FINE?!?!

[crazylegs]

hit me with your car and I let you off with a FINE?!?!

Is a citation not dissimilar to a summons, you still have to attend court and it will be their decsicion (sp?) as to what action to take?

[blas]

How much do you want to bet if that lady were under 60, she would have been arrested and charged with vehicular manslaughter or attempted murder?

*sigh*

[Sandman]

Dangerous precident by not arresting her and not dealing out major charges (hell.. charge her with the same crimes anyone else would be charged with, but plea bargin them down to her turning over her license and the charges will be dismissed)

I can see it happening now by someone in their 30's doing the same thing, and then suing the police department for age discrmination.

[Plaidman]

Yeah, I'm iffy about it, but he wasn't hurt from what it seems, and it seemed to be a honest accident, so I'm giving props to him for not acting like a jackbutt and arresting her for attempted murder or officer assult.

[CanadaGirl]

Honest accident?? Almost hitting him with a moving vehicle? What if he did get hit then and couldn't work do to major injuries? What if she killed him? That old woman should have her licence revoked.

[myswtghst]

Glad the officer is ok, and didn't go the asshole route, but I think the old lady at least needs to have nighttime driving privileges revoked, if not her driving privileges entirely.

A lawyer friend reminded me of that the other day - no matter how much we tend to take driving for granted and even think of it as a right, in reality, it is a privilege, and if we abuse it or physically cannot do it safely, it should be taken away.

Just my 2 cents.

[Plaidman]

in reality, it is a privilege.

For the longest time I thought everyone knew this.

Then I started to work with the public -_-.