Posted on 08/02/2010 6:22:01 PM PDT by rivercat
Standing on the side of Old Redwood Highway, just south of Jay Palm's saddle shop in Penngrove, a Latina held up a colorful sign with the word “Reten” written twice. About 500 yards down the road, local attorney Alicia Roman held up a similar sign.
For Spanish-speaking illegal immigrants, the meaning — “checkpoint” — was clear that Friday evening.
Some took heed and quickly turned off at Goodwin Avenue. Those who ignored the warning, or did not understand it, suddenly found themselves amid a sea of orange cones as Petaluma police officers slowed traffic and guided drivers through a stop aimed at nabbing drunken drivers, unlicensed drivers and those with suspended licenses.
One Petaluma woman, an illegal immigrant without a license, was pulled over and lost her husband's '98 Mustang convertible to a 30-day impound. Late for her job as a cleaner at the nearby shopping center, she walked toward North McDowell Boulevard, talking to her husband on her cell phone.
“I feel horrible,” she said, speaking in Spanish as she walked, hauling her son's car safety seat.
“I've heard about these things, but I never imagined it would happen,” said the woman, who asked that her name not be used. “I need to work and I can't get a driver's license.”
She was one of four drivers that night whose cars were impounded for license infractions. They were snared in a state-funded program that has developed into a high-profile crackdown with two aims: Take drunken drivers off the road and enforce state law requiring drivers to have a license.
For every one DUI arrest made at a Petaluma checkpoint in the past five years, four people were cited or arrested for driving without a license.
(Excerpt) Read more at pressdemocrat.com ...
“I need to work and I can’t get a driver’s license.”
Take the bus, sweetie.
So the gist of the article is that illegal aliens should be allowed to drive without a driver’s license.
Good luck with that.
“I can’t get a license.”
Then you don’t belong on our highways. Too bad six months incarceration aren’t included.
Ok so what’s wrong here? These criminals were caught breaking the law red-handed and were appropriately prosecuted.
Were the people holding the signs arrested for aiding & abetting a criminal act?
Sorry, but how many of these drivers, even if they were legal, had no insurance and caused accidents?
Freakin' waaaaa! Nobody seems to care about the economic cost of your illegal buttocks being here.
Help Texas watch her borders. Watch live on 18 cameras and report illegals. Night cams in operation
http://www.blueservo.net/index.php?error=nlg
No. Warning others about the presence of law enforcement is not a criminal act, courts have ruled.
No. Warning others about the presence of law enforcement is not a criminal act, courts have ruled.
Thanks, I did not know that.
"The man asked why his citation called for an appearance in Sonoma County Superior Court, rather than traffic court. He wanted to know if immigration enforcement officials would be there waiting for him.
“Immigration is not going to deport you for driving without a license,” [Police Sergeant] Savano said, adding later than he recognized the man's fear."
In Florida sometimes they will setup "drug checkpoints" on a highway exit. How they do it can be quite funny.
Say the cops setup a checkpoint at the end of the off-ramp on, say Exit 30. They will then setup an electronic message sign between Exit 29 and 30 that says, "Anti-Drug Checkpoint - Exit 31"
Well, not really knowing if the checkpoint is actually off the highway and at the end of the exit ramp or on the highway itself, anybody that's concerned about it will take - Exit 30 - to avoid the fake checkpoint at Exit 31.
Remember No License = No Insurance.
Try holding a sign, uptraffic, that says “Drunken Driver Stop Ahead” and see what happens.
Bet you won’t get a favorable writeup in the paper.
Bet you get tossed to the ground and 30 days for interferring with an officer.
They have to give public notice and publication of the checkpoint. (per USSC) The police have to have WRITTEN rules for the stop. The stops have to be non-discretionary (ie every 3 car, again per USSC)
The police use chase vehicles on the theory that most people cop a plea. If all cases went to trial the court systems would crash. Just look at mortgage forclosures. The florida bar was painicing they would not collect the IOLTA interest.
In AZ they had motor cycle cops stationed at the roads prior to the road block to catch those people who evaded the stop.
That was a sure way to get pulled over and checked. If you went straight threw they just pulled over 1 in 3.
At any rate..no sympathy. Why do they keep the car only 30 days? Why not deport the perps?
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