On December 7 at 10:46 P.M. At the intersection of S. 96th St. And Broadway in East Mesa Arizona, my husband was traveling north on 96th St. Towards Broadway. There was a car in FRONT of him traveling in the same direction. As my husband approached the intersection he slowed and engaged his left turn signal. The car in front of him did the same. Only this was not just any car. No, it was a Maricopa County Sheriff Dept car.
When the light turned green, the Sheriff made his left turn and after checking for traffic so did my husband.
After both cars completed their turns the Sheriff pulled over to the side of the road. My husband had no need to pull over so he continued driving on past the pulled over Sheriff. As soon as he past the parked Sheriff completely, the Sheriff pulled his vehicle back onto the road. Keep in mind that he DID NOT USE HIS DIRECTIONALS. The Sheriff then proceeded to engage his lights for a traffic stop.
My husband is NOT A CIMINAL. He has beautiful brown hair and he keeps it clean and groomed. He has also CHOSEN to keep it long. Most of the time in a ponytail as in this case. He has a few tatoos but nothing you could see from another car especially one BEHIND him.
The minute my husband saw the lights turn on he put his right directional on and engaged in a safe, gradual right turn until he was safely off of the main road and out of the flow of traffic. He rolled down his window and waited for the officer to approach. The officer went to the drivers side and began the "I'm a cop and you will respect me" routine. He asked to see my husbands drivers license and registration and proof of insurance. Like most people that are being pulled over, my husband was courious as to why the Sheriff pulled him over and asked the officer to that effect. Here's the good part. See if you can figure out what's wrong with this answer...
The Sheriff's response to my husbands inquirey was this. "The blue lighted ring that is attached to the tailpipe of the car is an illegal car accessory".
The Sheriff was IN FRONT of my husband...
Now obviously BEFORE purchasing this cute little addition to the tailpipe that sells for about $70.00 at K-mart, Walmart, Target, Auto Zone, Checker Auto, just to name a few, I researched the Arizona Revised Statutes for any reference deeming this addition illegal. There was NONE.
Can you say PROBABLE CAUSE???
Well now that my husband was parked on the side of the road the Sheriff could get a good look at him, the car and anything else he deemed necessary to look at. The temporary tag in the rear window was the next thing to catch his eye. My husband started to explain that we had just purchased the car 6 days ago and we were in process of readying the car for emission testing. He told the officer that we went online to the Arizona Department of Motor Vehicles and purchased a temporay 3 day permit for $1.00. You are allowed to purchase three, 3 day permits at $1.00 a piece to legalize your vehicle long enough to make repairs, get paperwork in order, and emission test your car.in our case we needed to replace the ignition.
We have a CLEAN title already transfered into our name. We have the registration in our name with the emission testing paperwork that states the ignition needs to be replaced, signed by the emission testing technician.
You'll never believe what the officer said to all of that. I couldn't believe it myself. Ready?"You can't just go online and buy temp. Tags. The Department of Motor Vehicles DOESN'T offer that service online". At that point he asked my husband to step out of the car, place his hands on the hood and submit to a search of his person, which he did. The officer placed my husband under arrest for driving a vehicle with FICTITIOUS tags.
Well that just opened up a great big can of worms. The officer asked my husband if he could look around IN the car. Bare in mind that by this time the officer was not concerned for his safety being that my husband was already handcuffed.
So what was he looking for? Maybe the officer could establish probable cause in lue of my husband's hair and tatoos. And did you know if an officer asks for your concent to search your vehicle and you say NO that that in itself is probale cause?
Then the officer called for the K-9 unit. Upon arrival, the dogs were allowed to jump into my NEW car and start sniffing. Waist of time. There was nothing.
And here's the final kicker. After loading my husband into the police car, the officer then called for a tow truck. My car was hooked and towed to where ever the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department's impound yard is. How much is that going to cost?
As of right now my husbands bond is set at $1031.00. For what?
My car is in some impound yard somewhere. For what?
My husband was pulled over. For what?
My husband was arrested. For what?
Remember this all started when the cop pulled my husband over for a blue light on the tailpipe of our car.
That he saw while driving ahead of my car???
Jill
Mesa, Arizona
U.S.A.
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