NationStates Jolt Archive

A florida police officer arrests a woman for evading a ticket, as she sped to the hospital to see her father who had suffered a heart attack.

Stabins first stopped Langston after clocking her driving 63 mph in a 35-mph zone near University Community Hospital in November.

The video shows her telling the deputy that her father had suffered a heart attack and had driven himself to the emergency room.

Stabins returned to his car to write a ticket, but after several minutes, she drove into the hospital parking lot. After a short pursuit, she brakes, and he strides up to her, saying, "That was not smart."

"I need to get there. I'm sorry but — oh, my god!" she says.

As he tries to pull her out of the car, her foot slips off the brake and the car begins to roll forward.

"Put it in park. Put it in park. Get out of the car. Hands behind your back. Now you're going to jail," Stabins says.

He gets Langston out of the car, put her in an arm lock that left bruises, spun her around, and slammed her against her car's hood hard enough her feet leave the ground


Source (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,269813,00.html)

So? If it's not her own, or anyone else's in the car, medical emergency, I don't see why she shouldn't have the book thrown at her for endangering others needlessly.

Yes she shouldn't have been speeding but if the cop had been smart he wouldn't have handled her so aggressively. And this doesn't sound like your typical speeder; it seems she was under duress. The cop could have escorted her to the hospital...

Yes she shouldn't have been speeding but if the cop had been smart he wouldn't have handled her so aggressively. And this doesn't sound like your typical speeder; it seems she was under duress. The cop could have escorted her to the hospital...I agree.

I would have thought there would be a standard procedure for such situations

A florida police officer arrests a woman for evading a ticket, as she sped to the hospital to see her father who had suffered a heart attack.



Source (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,269813,00.html)

Stabins cuts her off, saying, "Now you're not going to see him, 'cause you're going to jail."

Stabins, 29, was suspended for five days without pay for using excessive force. Charges against Langston, 37, were dropped.

The police officer was disciplined. *nod* What a prick. :p

Yes she shouldn't have been speeding but if the cop had been smart he wouldn't have handled her so aggressively. And this doesn't sound like your typical speeder; it seems she was under duress. The cop could have escorted her to the hospital...

the police are not an escort service (thank God.) the medical emergency was not enough to warrent not getting a ticket, nor did it warrant an escort.

yes, the cop was wrong and he was put on suspension. but she was just as wrong.

I agree.

Apparently, so do the cop's superiors. *nod*

she should certainly have been busted for speeding, she was going almost double the speed limit. but the cop handed it very badly, he should have written the ticket quickly and then told her follow him to the hospital, or written the ticket after they got to the hospital. he clearly lacked any intelligence or compassion and acted with completely unnecessary aggression.

I remember a few years back when I was still living at home in NW FL (sorry, no source, it was on the local TV news and is just a memory) a cop in either Florida or Alabama (I'm pretty sure Florida) pulled over this old man who was rushing his wife to the hospital because she was having a heart attack. The cop decided to give the old man a lecture about how he should call 911 and all that crap (they were pretty rural so calling 911 would have been just as iffy as driving the woman in) and, in the interim, his wife died. I know the cop got in trouble, but I don't recall the extent. I felt bad for the old man, though.

the police are not an escort service (thank God.) the medical emergency was not enough to warrent not getting a ticket, nor did it warrant an escort.

yes, the cop was wrong and he was put on suspension. but she was just as wrong.

True. Driving away was very stupid. Regardless of the policeman's prickness, he's still a policeman. *nod* But she wasn't exactly thinking straight at the time. He should have been. *nod*

So? If it's not her own, or anyone else's in the car, medical emergency, I don't see why she shouldn't have the book thrown at her for endangering others needlessly.

heh, I actually agree with fass :eek:

Bleh, some cops are just jackasses. At least this one isn't quite as bad as these (http://www.kctv5.com/Global/story.asp?S=6019382) cops.

True. Driving away was very stupid. Regardless of the policeman's prickness, he's still a policeman. *nod* But she wasn't exactly thinking straight at the time. He should have been. *nod*

I'm just glad she was driving straight. :cool:

Hard enough to make her feet leave the ground? There must be a recording out there somewhere.

A florida police officer arrests a woman for evading a ticket, as she sped to the hospital to see her father who had suffered a heart attack.
I think I found the route of the problem here...

The officer acted poorly...very poorly. But as stated before, if it's not you or someone in your vehicle having the medical emergency, you're SOL.

he clearly lacked any intelligence or compassion and acted with completely unnecessary aggression.

in other words, 'was a cop'

The guy probabily hear this kind of excuses every day. Every single guy who gets stoped has an excuse, so the guy thought it could be a lie.

So? If it's not her own, or anyone else's in the car, medical emergency, I don't see why she shouldn't have the book thrown at her for endangering others needlessly.

Obvioulsy she just finished reading or watching "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas":

Few people understand the psychology of dealing with a highway traffic cop. A normal speeder will panic and immediately pull over to the side. This is wrong. It arouses contempt in the cop heart. Make the bastard chase you. He will follow. But he won't know what to make of your blinker signal that says you are about to turn right. This is to let him know you're pulling off for a proper place to talk. It will take him a moment to realize that he's about to make a 180 degree turn at speed, but you will be ready for it. Brace for the g's. - Raoul Duke

The guy probabily hear this kind of excuses every day. Every single guy who gets stoped has an excuse, so the guy thought it could be a lie.

Most people don't use the excuse, "My father just had a heart attack and I need to get to that hospital right there." That's too easy to check up on. Besides, it sounds like this woman was pretty obviously distraught.

The guy probabily hear this kind of excuses every day. Every single guy who gets stoped has an excuse, so the guy thought it could be a lie.

Cop walks up to a driver of a sports car that was speeding along.
"ok, sir... I'll tell you what. it's close to my end of shift, so if you can give me a reason why you were speeding that I didn't hear before, I'll let you go with a warning."
*the driver thought for a second.*
"My wife left me for a member of the Highway Patrol. I thought you were him trying to give her back."
*the officer paused, then closed his book and returned to his car.*

:D

I love that joke.

Most people don't use the excuse, "My father just had a heart attack and I need to get to that hospital right there." That's too easy to check up on. Besides, it sounds like this woman was pretty obviously distraught.

working in a hospital, no it's not that easy. considering his condition, he might have been admitted under a trauma number (not going to waste time getting name and other info while he's undergoing a heart attack.) so his name and info may not be in the hospital system until he is out of danger.

so if the officer did check, and her father's name is not in the system as being admitted... :(

Yes she shouldn't have been speeding but if the cop had been smart he wouldn't have handled her so aggressively. And this doesn't sound like your typical speeder; it seems she was under duress. The cop could have escorted her to the hospital...What do you expect? It's a cop.

A florida police officer arrests a woman for evading a ticket, as she sped to the hospital to see her father who had suffered a heart attack.



Source (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,269813,00.html)

Sounds like the Atlanta airport police have been transfered to traffic duty in Florida.

A woman who says she was slammed to the ground and arrested by a police officer at Atlanta's airport has been paid $350,000 to settle a lawsuit. A video camera captured the Nov. 2, 2004 incident at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and the footage was broadcast around the nation.

working in a hospital, no it's not that easy. considering his condition, he might have been admitted under a trauma number (not going to waste time getting name and other info while he's undergoing a heart attack.) so his name and info may not be in the hospital system until he is out of danger.

so if the officer did check, and her father's name is not in the system as being admitted... :(

Hmmmm...never thought of that. Of course, most people who don't work in trauma probably would think it was that easy, and thus wouldn't use it as an excuse. The type of people who make excuses a lot are usually pretty good at finding plausible ones (or getting in a lot of trouble).

So? If it's not her own, or anyone else's in the car, medical emergency, I don't see why she shouldn't have the book thrown at her for endangering others needlessly.

From the title, I assumed she was in need of immediate medical attention.

I am less sympathetic to this situation.

From the title, I assumed she was in need of immediate medical attention.

I am less sympathetic to this situation.

I am less sympathetic, but still sympathetic. When my stepfather had a heart attack - albeit a minor one - it was really nothing but my mother's insistence that I wait to hear back from her that kept me from jumping in the car and rushing to the hospital he was at - about 4 1/2 hours away.

I am less sympathetic, but still sympathetic. When my stepfather had a heart attack - albeit a minor one - it was really nothing but my mother's insistence that I wait to hear back from her that kept me from jumping in the car and rushing to the hospital he was at - about 4 1/2 hours away.

I'd want to be at the hospital as soon as possible as well. But driving distraught isn't a good idea at the best of times, as evidenced by the poor judgement calls this woman made. If she had no one to drive her, alright...but driving in ANY impaired state heightens one's danger, and the danger one poses to others. She should have been particularly focused on driving safely, BECAUSE of the fact she was in that emotional state.

Still, fine in hand, she should have been able to get to her dad after.

Unless either your passenger or yourself is injured or ill and in desperate need of medical attention, there is no reason why the police shouldn't give you a ticket. As somebody else said earlier, if they let everybody 'off the hook' for claiming to be speeding to hospital to see somebody, everybody would end up saying the same thing. There has to be a cut-off point somewhere.

I don't think arresting her for doing twice the legal speed limit and then driving off while he was writing her a ticket was entirely unwarranted either...

A florida police officer arrests a woman for evading a ticket, as she sped to the hospital to see her father who had suffered a heart attack.



Source (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,269813,00.html)

Damnit! The police are supposed to protect citezens not act by a preprogrammed set of rules! Laws should be better made to protect the people!

The police officer upset someone.

This woman's actions and state of mind could easily have killed someone.

I'd want to be at the hospital as soon as possible as well. But driving distraught isn't a good idea at the best of times, as evidenced by the poor judgement calls this woman made. If she had no one to drive her, alright...but driving in ANY impaired state heightens one's danger, and the danger one poses to others. She should have been particularly focused on driving safely, BECAUSE of the fact she was in that emotional state.

Oh, I agree. I just wouldn't place this woman in the category of drunk drivers or even people who just drive dangerously on a general basis. She was distraught. This means that she probably shouldn't have been driving, but I can certainly understand why she did.

I'd be far from claiming I've never driven while upset about something. I once drove about 3 1/2 hours after a really ugly breakup - not sure if I stopped crying for the whole drive and I almost ran out of gas. Was it a bad idea to get in the car and drive? Absolutely! But all I could think at the time was that I needed to get away from my ex and to a friend who I could talk to.

Still, fine in hand, she should have been able to get to her dad after.

Exactly. Yes, this woman broke the law - multiple times. Yes, she should most likely be fined for all or most of it. But there was no need to arrest her and keep her from her father even longer once she was no longer a danger to others.

Speeding in the US is strict liability. As far as I know - and god knows I've tried them all - there is no conceivable excuse for it.

In fact, you could probably make the case that police officers who chase cars in 'hot pursuit' are breaking the law and should be issued a citation. But I guess that is where prosecutor's discretion comes in.