One of the best ways to land in jail on drunk driving charges is to stumble out of your car after the police stop you and then puke during the DUI investigation. Apparently that is what happened during a Pasco County DUI stop this week. According to a story on TampaBay.com, a 36-year-old Zephyrhills man was weaving on I-275. After he was stopped he claimed that he doesn’t drink or do drugs. The Florida Highway Patrol reports that following his proclamation the man threw-up on his car.
Reports state the Michael Majesky was unable to stand without falling upon exiting the car after the traffic stop. He refused a breath test and was charged with DUI. Majesky has a criminal record that includes battery on a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault with a weapon, escape and grand theft. He is currently on supervised release from jail.
Monthly Archives: January 2010
Florida Cop Facing Felony Charges For Writing Unwarranted Traffic Tickets And Making Illegal Traffic Stops
A 21-year veteran of the Melbourne, Florida Police Department is facing five felony charges of official misconduct and four misdemeanor charges for falsifying records according to a story on Florida Today and FDLE reports. Officer Frank Carter is accused of writing unwarranted traffic tickets due to video that was reviewed from his in-car dashboard camera. Carter’s attorney claims the traffic stops were warranted due to drug dealing in some Melbourne neighborhoods.
Some of the traffic citations handed out by Carter that FDLE flagged were for driving without headlights when they were not required or no tag lights when the car’s tag lights were working. Some residents in south Melbourne claim that Carter has been a “thorn in the side” to the town’s African-American population for years. Carter was released from the Brevard County Detention Center on a $2000 bond.
Department Of Transportation Takes First Step In Nation-Wide Ban On Texting And Driving
According to an Associated Press story, the Department of Transportation has instituted a ban on truck and bus drivers from texting and driving while operating a commercial vehicle. The ban is effective immediately. The punishment for this traffic ticket could be up to $2,750 in criminal and civil penalties according to a D.O.T. statement.
The ban on texting and driving applies to drivers of interstate buses and trucks over 10,000 pounds. Both major industries support the ban according to the story as both the trucking industry and wireless industry gave their support to the new prohibition. According to the AP story, the government reports that drivers on average take their eyes off the road for 4.6 seconds for every 6 second text they send.
Run A red Light In Tampa? Cameras Are Coming To Take Your Picture And Fine You.
Welcome to the red light camera controversy Tampa! City officials have decided to battle Tampa drivers who run red lights by installing the controversial red light cameras at 10 Tampa intersections according to TBO.com. If all goes according to plans, the red light cameras will be fining Tampa drivers by the end of 2010.
Hillsborough County recently installed cameras at 10 intersections as well. Those cameras began issuing fines for red light violators at the end of last year. The city of Tampa scrapped plans to install red light cameras in 1007 because, at the time, the city felt the cameras may cause more rear-end collisions and there were concerns about a private company issuing traffic citations. Well, what has changed? Budget shortfalls due to the economy seem to have made those concerns no longer a concern.
Red Light Runners Ticketed By Cameras May Get Their Money Back If Florida Lawsuit Prevails
Another lawsuit has been filed against Florida’s red light camera system. A Lakeland, Florida lawyer has filed a lawsuit against the city of Lakeland and the company that operates the cameras that target people who run red lights. This lawsuit, the third against red light camera operators in the state of Florida, claims the company that runs the cameras does not have the proper state licensing. Since the cameras went into operation in Lakeland, the city has collected more than $1 million in fines and issued traffic citations totaling more than $2 million.
The lawsuit is asking that there be a repayment of the traffic citation fines at up to four times the amount of the ticket, according to a story by the Lakeland Ledger. The city is in the midst of a three-year contract with American Traffic Solutions who operate the red light cameras. This current lawsuit does differ from the first two in that this one claims ATS has not received the proper private investigating license required in Florida.
Warrant Issued For Florida Gator Dustin Doe
Florida Gator Dustin Doe had a warrant issued after he failed to do community service as part of his probation related to two misdemeanor traffic violations for driving without a license. Doe failed to do eight hours of community service over the past four-months. The warrant was issued January 5.
Doe was found guilty of the traffic violations. Record show he paid his fine but never followed through with his work crew assignment, according to a story on TBO.com. The fine was in the amount of $311. Doe was also sentenced to six months probation.
Red Light Camera Tickets Proving Tough Case To Beat In Florida
There is a reason red light cameras are showing up all over the state of Florida and you just need to look at Brooksville to see why. Since March, the city has collected nearly $300,000 in fines from red light runners. Not only is the city making money the accused offenders are finding it very hard to even challenge these traffic citations. There is no judge in these cases since they are civil infractions so the city hand picks a special hearing officer who decides if the red light runner has a case. Usually the answer is no they don’t.
Brooksville had a special master residing over these tickets but he felt the city ordinance was being enforced unfairly. So what did the City Council do? They found someone who had a point of view more in line with the city’s and now very few of these fines are being overturned. That has left some Brooksville residents angry according to a story on TampaBay.com and even drove one man to join a class-action lawsuit fighting Florida’s red light cameras.