Trooper, Officer Ticketed For Alleged Speeding

MyNeonSaysHi · Post by **MyNeonSaysHi** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 8:46 pm

Video:

http://www.nbc4i.com/cmh/news/local/art ... ing/19172/

[NEWARK, Ohio—The Ohio State Highway Patrol released video Friday after an off-duty trooper and off-duty officer were ticketed for allegedly driving nearly 150 mph on an interstate highway.

NBC 4’s Patrick Preston reported with the FAST FACTS.

An OSP radar plane clocked the men allegedly going those speeds, and troopers made the traffic stop.

The video was taken by two troopers’ cruisers.

Authorities said off-duty state trooper Jason Highsmith, 35, was clocked going 147 mph on Interstate 70, east of Columbus, where the speed limit is 65 mph.

Authorities said Christopher Thomas, 33, was clocked going 149 mph on I-70.

The incident happened Sunday, June 28.

Thomas has been on injured leave from the Gahanna police department since last December after he slipped and fell on ice.

Thomas continues to receive pay and benefits, including vacation time.

Here’s an abbreviated transcript of the dash-cam video:

Trooper Bryan Lee: “Either one of you have anything on you I need to know about?”

“No sir. A couple badges is all,” one of the motorcyclists said.

(Highsmith does most of the talking on the video, but it was unclear which one of the two men were responding each time.)

The conversation with Trooper Bryan Lee changed tone.

Lee: “What’s your name? Bryan. You? Highsmith. Did you say Highsmith? Yeah. I think you were at the academy when I was there. Did I train you? I think you beat the [expletive] out of the guy who had me. Oww.”

“You gotta do what you gotta do, man. We were pushing it today.”

The men shake hands and laugh and joke about the speeding.

Lee: “You’re a motorcycle cop? What? How fast were you going?”

Highsmith said they were driving in an open stretch. And Lee apparently took him at his word, despite traffic in the background.

“If you guys don’t mind, just tell them we’re a bunch of cops. Don’t tell them I’m a trooper ’cause that will get back.”

Lee turned off his audio before ever discussing the possibility of a ticket, of a reckless driving charge or even asking if the men were racing.

They talk another four minutes, exchange handshakes and drive away. No paperwork was filled out. Driver’s licenses weren’t checked.

A third motorcyclist also was part of the group but was not clocked on radar and was not ticketed.

An OSP spokesperson said Lee’s microphone should have remained on during the entire traffic stop and the issue will be addressed later.

As for the joking and lack of questions about reckless driving and racing, OSP said no two traffic stops are alike and the speeding charge was explained.

Four days later, troopers issued Highsmith a ticket, and eight days later Thomas was issued a citation.

Neither man has been charged with reckless driving currently.

Highsmith entered a plea of not guilty before Licking County Municipal Court Judge David Branstool Wednesday.

Branstool said the lack of charges didn’t matter and that he could use his discretion to suspend Highsmith’s license for as much as three years for driving in reckless circumstances.

“I don’t expect the court to have any leniency. What I did was 100 percent wrong. I made a mistake,” Highsmith said in court.

One Columbus defense attorney said he thinks the case will be scrutinized heavily.

“I think it’s going to have a big ripple effect for criminal defense attorneys,” Michael Probst said.

Probst said his clients have been charged with reckless driving for going 20 miles over the speed limit.

He said he’s never had a client drive 147 miles per hour, and he said he thinks fellow lawyers will cite the officers’ case in contesting reckless driving charges against their clients.

“I absolutely think that local criminal defense attorneys will point to this case, especially considering that they’re police officers,” Probst.

Thomas was expected in court next week.

Wow.

measy27 · Post by **measy27** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 8:54 pm

Damn...

LilSparkPlug · Post by **LilSparkPlug** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 11:54 am

Well then.....

SOKADAO954 · Post by **SOKADAO954** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 12:02 pm

wow

hansken_yo · Post by **hansken_yo** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 1:09 pm

Holy Shit...

Opening can-o-worms.

kornholio788 · Post by **kornholio788** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 1:36 pm

Should have arrested both, impounded both of their cars, and been given HUGE fines.

Tis what any of us would have gotten.

Just goes to show that officers ARE above the law.

rOniN · Post by **rOniN** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 2:12 pm

Well, isn't that nice...

I wonder what the final say will be on this case.

PhillyLS1 · Post by **PhillyLS1** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 6:37 pm

Sucks when you can't even extend professional curtesy or let police officers make decisions.
I know I've been let go by a cop. I guess we're all going to get slammed every time we get pulled over now because cops are afraid to make decisions.

MyNeonSaysHi · Post by **MyNeonSaysHi** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 7:24 pm

kornholio788 wrote:Should have arrested both, impounded both of their cars, and been given HUGE fines.

Tis what any of us would have gotten.

Just goes to show that officers ARE above the law.

You mean motorcycles?

I wonder what happened to that one cop.. I mean he slips on ice in December and is still on paid leave and its June. Must of gotten hurt bad enought to ride a motorcycle 140+ Paid leave brought to you by the tax payers. Awesome. I want to be a cop.

I would of liked to see the outcome with a 20 year old witht he exact same responses... hmmmm

Cbussilver01es · Post by **Cbussilver01es** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 6:51 pm

Damn did this news make it nationally? Im surprised you beat me to it.

This isn't the first time something like this has happend around here involving local police and Ohio Highway Patrol, sadly and it wont be the last, Ive been pulled over plenty of times by Gahanna PD for nothing and still cited.. glad to know that all I have to do is say Im a cop and I'll get off scot free.

jrumann59 · Post by **jrumann59** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:23 pm

kornholio788 wrote:Should have arrested both, impounded both of their cars, and been given HUGE fines.

Tis what any of us would have gotten.

Just goes to show that officers ARE above the law.

Not just officers but pretty much any public official with any juice. But still it should be up to the officer to on the scene to make the final decision if the idiots back at the station are going to overturn every decision good or bad an officer makes on traffic stops might as well just put radar cameras and red light cameras in and have the cops worry about crime instead of traffic laws.

bone-yard-racing · Post by **bone-yard-racing** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:25 pm

PhillyLS1 wrote:Sucks when you can't even extend professional curtesy or let police officers make decisions.
I know I've been let go by a cop. I guess we're all going to get slammed every time we get pulled over now because cops are afraid to make decisions.

You're joking right? Its perfectly fine to let somebody do 84mph over the speed limit because they are an off duty cop? Think what would happen to 99% of the people on this board if we were to do the same. Philly you're military correct? I respect and admire what you do but you are not above the law nor is anybody with a badge. As officers these men should be held to a higher standard than civilians its their job and responsibility to serve and protect civilians therefore they should know and respect their own laws.

jrumann59 · Post by **jrumann59** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:28 pm

Personally at that speed they should just get darwin awards because eventually they will earn them.

LilSparkPlug · Post by **LilSparkPlug** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:54 pm

jrumann59 wrote:Personally at that speed they should just get darwin awards because eventually they will earn them.

QFT