State Troopers pulling for no reason!

[GeekGT5.0]

Texas loves to pull over out of state drivers. My wife was going driving through texas with some friends 15 years ago. They were pulled over because a vehicle allegedly saw them throw a cigarette but out the window and called the police. They searched the car top to bottom and actually arrested my wife and her friend. They took then to some double wide trailer makeshift jail they had set up, and told them they could pay $500 dollars each or they could sit in jail over the weekend until they could see a judge. Obviously they paid the $500 each and got the hell out of there. The cops explanation was because they were from out of state they could not make them pay a fine or show up to court if they left with just a citation. Mind you there was no proof of anything lol.

Excuse me if the story sounds completely bogus.

"They searched the car top to bottom and actually arrested my wife and her friend."

Arrested for what?

State Troopers would take you to the nearest county jail. 2nd, demanding payment on the spot and a makeshift jail would be illegal, if it ever did happen it would warrant a lawyer immediately, you would absolutely need to see a judge a state trooper is not the judicial system and can't levy a fine. State troopers issues a citation or makes an arrest. Only a court can impose a fine after adjudication.

What you described would be kidnapping and extortion. aka you would have a massive lawsuit. If you are arrested you would have to be booked and you would have to see a judge, even 15 years ago it has not changed in 40 years that I know of.

Sorry if I call bullshit on this story.

Now maybe they pulled cash out to pay for a hotel room with some state troopers they met. Ok, but that's a different kind of story.

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[bountifulgoose]

Excuse me if the story sounds completely bogus.

"They searched the car top to bottom and actually arrested my wife and her friend."

Arrested for what?

State Troopers would take you to the nearest county jail. 2nd, demanding payment on the spot and a makeshift jail would be illegal, if it ever did happen it would warrant a lawyer immediately, you would absolutely need to see a judge a state trooper is not the judicial system and can't levy a fine. State troopers issues a citation or makes an arrest. Only a court can impose a fine after adjudication.

What you described would be kidnapping and extortion. aka you would have a massive lawsuit. If you are arrested you would have to be booked and you would have to see a judge, even 15 years ago it has not changed in 40 years that I know of.

Sorry if I call bullshit on this story.

Now maybe they pulled cash out to pay for a hotel room with some state troopers they met. Ok, but that's a different kind of story.

They were arrested for allegedly, throwing a lit cigarette onto a highway. They were from out of state and the trooper could not ensure they would actually go to their court date. So their option was to sit in jail over the weekend until they saw a judge on monday, or pay the fine for littering. Its not a bs story in the slightest. There are a whole lot of citations that can be resolved by paying a fine vs Showing up to a court date and seeing a judge.

 

[GeekGT5.0]

They were arrested for allegedly, throwing a lit cigarette onto a highway. They were from out of state and the trooper could not ensure they would actually go to their court date. So their option was to sit in jail over the weekend until they saw a judge on monday, or pay the fine for littering. Its not a bs story in the slightest. There are a whole lot of citations that can be resolved by paying a fine vs Showing up to a court date and seeing a judge.

"They were from out of state and the trooper could not ensure they would actually go to their court date"

When he made the arrest for it, that was him thinking they wouldn't show up. They would of went to a county jail and no longer in the state troopers custody.

State troopers levying the fine is illegal. State troopers cannot levy a fine OR collect fines. Ever.
It then turns into kidnapping and extortion if that was the case. lol

Saying “pay $500 or sit in jail” at the roadside or booking desk would be improper. You would have a case against them.

What can happen legally, Arrest for a Class C misdemeanor (littering), Magistrate sets bond $500, the person can then stay in jail until they see a judge, OR post bond and be released, then later the court may allow the bond to be converted to a fine if the person pleads out or fails to appear.

Maybe it's just your wording then, because if the story isn't bs, then what happened is they paid a $500 bond.

To convict tho, they would of needed the caller who reported it, testify against you on it, and it would have to be deemed credible. IE most likely they would have to be able to say what your car is, color, etc, prove they knew it was you and not someone else, or someone that looked like you. Pretty hard to convict on something like that, most likely would of just been tossed anyway.

So yeah, maybe that happened and they paid a bond, but that wouldn't of been with the state troopers is my point and making it sound like kidnapping and extortion ain't cool. If she did toss a cig and got caught, like better to just own that. The Texas State Troopers while yeah when they pull you over you have a pucker factor 1000, they are generally outstanding fair no-nonsense kind of guys.

My dad got pulled over once in our RV when i was a teenager by a state trooper for driving to slow in the left lane. Trooper asked him to step out and they went into the back, this trooper was like 7 foot tall. LOL

My dad said he kept looking around to see if he was standing in a hole because this dude towered over him. He got a warning for going to slow in the left lane. This was back in the mid 90s.

Now, you can imagine how hard I was laughing when he showed me the warning for "driving to slow". My old dad never did live that one down. If I was ever riding with him later in life, I'd be like "dad speed up, there's a cop behind us, you don't wanna get pulled over again"

Good times...

 

[Frogdog1]

Cops are looking for drugs more than anything else, dui's second. That's why they ask so many questions you don't have to answer. DO use turn signals when changing lanes and watch your mirrors. Go with the flow until you feel lucky and DO run a good radar detector.

I know my local precinct Captain and he pretends to not know why so many people hate cops. They know exactly why. He and his people are the most manipulative people in town and I told him that. Of course, he plays innocent on that. We used to ride motorcycles together at insane speeds of course. That was Ok though. He couldn't come close to outriding me. He was fat and just wasn't any good at motors.

 

[NC_Matt0613]

Driving under the speed limit in a mustang for sure suspicious. They figured you had something to hide, probably looking for a good chase that you did not give them.

 

[GeekGT5.0]

Cops are looking for drugs more than anything else, dui's second. That's why they ask so many questions you don't have to answer. DO use turn signals when changing lanes and watch your mirrors. Go with the flow until you feel lucky and DO run a good radar detector.

I know my local precinct Captain and he pretends to not know why so many people hate cops. They know exactly why. He and his people are the most manipulative people in town and I told him that. Of course, he plays innocent on that. We used to ride motorcycles together at insane speeds of course. That was Ok though. He couldn't come close to outriding me. He was fat and just wasn't any good at motors.

I know here in Texas, pretty much 10-20 miles outside of Houston on the interstates the state troopers are running interdiction areas. If they see anything suspicious they will pull you over. Mainly looking for drugs, duis, human trafficking. Most not actually doing anything wrong they just let go with a verbal warning. They are doing this around the major cities in Texas.

 

[GrabThatBlue]

"They were from out of state and the trooper could not ensure they would actually go to their court date"

When he made the arrest for it, that was him thinking they wouldn't show up. They would of went to a county jail and no longer in the state troopers custody.

State troopers levying the fine is illegal. State troopers cannot levy a fine OR collect fines. Ever.
It then turns into kidnapping and extortion if that was the case. lol

Saying “pay $500 or sit in jail” at the roadside or booking desk would be improper. You would have a case against them.

What can happen legally, Arrest for a Class C misdemeanor (littering), Magistrate sets bond $500, the person can then stay in jail until they see a judge, OR post bond and be released, then later the court may allow the bond to be converted to a fine if the person pleads out or fails to appear.

Maybe it's just your wording then, because if the story isn't bs, then what happened is they paid a $500 bond.

To convict tho, they would of needed the caller who reported it, testify against you on it, and it would have to be deemed credible. IE most likely they would have to be able to say what your car is, color, etc, prove they knew it was you and not someone else, or someone that looked like you. Pretty hard to convict on something like that, most likely would of just been tossed anyway.

So yeah, maybe that happened and they paid a bond, but that wouldn't of been with the state troopers is my point and making it sound like kidnapping and extortion ain't cool. If she did toss a cig and got caught, like better to just own that. The Texas State Troopers while yeah when they pull you over you have a pucker factor 1000, they are generally outstanding fair no-nonsense kind of guys.

My dad got pulled over once in our RV when i was a teenager by a state trooper for driving to slow in the left lane. Trooper asked him to step out and they went into the back, this trooper was like 7 foot tall. LOL

My dad said he kept looking around to see if he was standing in a hole because this dude towered over him. He got a warning for going to slow in the left lane. This was back in the mid 90s.

Now, you can imagine how hard I was laughing when he showed me the warning for "driving to slow". My old dad never did live that one down. If I was ever riding with him later in life, I'd be like "dad speed up, there's a cop behind us, you don't wanna get pulled over again"

Good times...

State Troopers do collect fines. I had to pay cash and he issued me a paper ticket as a receipt in 2014. I don't live in the US, so that's how they deal with foreigners.

Another fine that I received from a normal police officer was also paid cash. I had to go to the station and give it to their administration before I could leave.

 

[GeekGT5.0]

State Troopers do collect fines. I had to pay cash and he issued me a paper ticket as a receipt in 2014. I don't live in the US, so that's how they deal with foreigners.

Another fine that I received from a normal police officer was also paid cash. I had to go to the station and give it to their administration before I could leave.

Police / State Troopers issue citations, they are not a judge and cannot levy (set) a fine and collect it on the spot.

You might of called the judge and paid it then, or went to the court house, but that is not the police or the state trooper taking fine money, that's actually illegal.

State troopers and Police are not a judge, ONLY a judge/magistrate can levy (set) the fine amount. Law enforcement only issue citation, the judge or a jury set the actual amount. A cop, state trooper or any kind of police officer cannot set the fine amount period.

Now you could call the judge, he sets it and you pay it, sure if your just doing a no-contest kind of thing. But it was not the cop.

Some police/state troopers can using a card reader collect past court fees on the spot, but that is previous stuff that a judge already set and is just waiting for you to pay. That is the limit to the scope that they can do. Police cannot set the fines. There is a separation of powers between law enforcement and the judicial, the first thing a judge would do is look at PC, probable cause to see if the cop even had PC to pull you over. LOL

You guys acting like there isn't due process in the USA anymore or "15 years ago" lol No sorry, we still have due process even if your from out of state or country.

 

[GrabThatBlue]

Police / State Troopers issue citations, they are not a judge and cannot levy (set) a fine and collect it on the spot.

You might of called the judge and paid it then, or went to the court house, but that is not the police or the state trooper taking fine money, that's actually illegal.

State troopers and Police are not a judge, ONLY a judge/magistrate can levy (set) the fine amount. Law enforcement only issue citation, the judge or a jury set the actual amount. A cop, state trooper or any kind of police officer cannot set the fine amount period.

Now you could call the judge, he sets it and you pay it, sure if your just doing a no-contest kind of thing. But it was not the cop.

Some police/state troopers can using a card reader collect past court fees on the spot, but that is previous stuff that a judge already set and is just waiting for you to pay. That is the limit to the scope that they can do. Police cannot set the fines. There is a separation of powers between law enforcement and the judicial, the first thing a judge would do is look at PC, probable cause to see if the cop even had PC to pull you over. LOL

You guys acting like there isn't due process in the USA anymore or "15 years ago" lol No sorry, we still have due process even if your from out of state or country.

It's crazy that you think you know better what happened than me, while I was the one who was there. Good luck. You did exact the same to others I saw.

 

[GeekGT5.0]

It's crazy that you think you know better what happened than me, while I was the one who was there. Good luck. You did exact the same to others I saw.

I've known several cops, one of which is a close friend.

I also know how to look up the law in Texas, do you need me to cite the actual laws for you? Or can you google that yourself to prove your story is BS. The cop didn't collect fines from you. Simple as that. A judge did.

 

[porterhousestk]

People loooovvveee to on TX ... I guess jealousy takes many forms

 

[GrabThatBlue]

I've known several cops, one of which is a close friend.

I also know how to look up the law in Texas, do you need me to cite the actual laws for you? Or can you google that yourself to prove your story is BS. The cop didn't collect fines from you. Simple as that. A judge did.

A judge driving a State Trooper vehicle on the highway of Wyoming. Right.

 

[Sofa King]

Police / State Troopers issue citations, they are not a judge and cannot levy (set) a fine and collect it on the spot.

You might of called the judge and paid it then, or went to the court house, but that is not the police or the state trooper taking fine money, that's actually illegal.

State troopers and Police are not a judge, ONLY a judge/magistrate can levy (set) the fine amount. Law enforcement only issue citation, the judge or a jury set the actual amount. A cop, state trooper or any kind of police officer cannot set the fine amount period.

Now you could call the judge, he sets it and you pay it, sure if your just doing a no-contest kind of thing. But it was not the cop.

Some police/state troopers can using a card reader collect past court fees on the spot, but that is previous stuff that a judge already set and is just waiting for you to pay. That is the limit to the scope that they can do. Police cannot set the fines. There is a separation of powers between law enforcement and the judicial, the first thing a judge would do is look at PC, probable cause to see if the cop even had PC to pull you over. LOL

You guys acting like there isn't due process in the USA anymore or "15 years ago" lol No sorry, we still have due process even if your from out of state or country.

Many citations only carry a money value which you may pay, no court appearance necessary, but if you wish to dispute it, ONLY then do you go to court...

 

[Frogdog1]

I used to live in South Louisiana and, without exception, the State Boys would be hanging out just across the Texas state line by the half dozens. I doubt it's any different today. It's nothing novel about state patrols hanging out near any entry or exit from their state lines. Just drive with the flow, use lane change signals, just look normal whatever that is. If you are stopped, don't act nervous, and do tell the truth. Cops are good lie detectors and, like I said, they are all looking for drugs on the interstates. Unfortunately, good people get harrassed.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

State Troopers do collect fines. I had to pay cash and he issued me a paper ticket as a receipt in 2014. I don't live in the US, so that's how they deal with foreigners.

Another fine that I received from a normal police officer was also paid cash. I had to go to the station and give it to their administration before I could leave.

What state was this in and what was the infraction?

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