Police Clock Teacher at Over 100 Mph

AP ^ | Thu Apr 13, 5:49 PM ET

[martin_fierro]

Police Clock Teacher at Over 100 Mph

Thu Apr 13, 5:49 PM ET

FARGO, N.D. - A teacher on her way to school in South Dakota was caught speeding at more than 100 mph, thanks to a tip from a driver who said the woman had been routinely passing him at triple-digit speeds, authorities say.

Heather Jo Smith, 25, of Fargo, was clocked at 102 mph on Wednesday near the Horace exit on Interstate 29, Cass County Sheriff's Capt. Mike Argall said.

Smith was driving a car that is owned by the Northeast Educational Co-op in Hayti, S.D., Argall said.

Smith did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment Thursday that was left at her office. A message left at a Fargo listing for Heather Jo Smith was not immediately returned.

"We got a tip from a gentleman who said he had been passed by a small, dark car with South Dakota plates at least five times in the last month going more than 100," Argall said.

The man called authorities on Tuesday to report the driver. The next day, a deputy was posted along the highway near Horace, where the man said he had been passed by the speeding vehicle, each time at around 8 a.m.

"As luck would have it, there was a small, dark car with South Dakota plates heading south at more than 100," Argall said.

Smith was pulled over shortly before 8 a.m.

Tips about speeders rarely result in a ticket because the driver is long gone before a deputy can respond, Argall said. "This was a good one," he said.

Smith was issued a ticket for $135 and assessed 10 of the 12 points on her North Dakota driver's license, Argall said.

Smith's employer also was contacted. Smith works as a speech pathologist at the school, Argall said.

"We talked to her supervisor and he was appreciative," Argall said. "Hopefully, they will take interest in her driving because we sure did."

[tx_eggman]

But since I've moved to Oklahoma

Now I'm beginning to understand.

[Gay State Conservative]

Hey, everybody get out of the street now

I hear the roar of an XKE now

Sloppy sweater and pony tail

And the cop on the corner is turnin' pale

Whoo! It's Abigail Beecher, our history teacher

Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon..early 1960's

[Gay State Conservative]

100 mph is not an ungodly speed. I've driven over 100 many times--most of the episodes in NJ where the limit was the heavenly 55 mph.

Growing up during the 60's,my beat friend's Dad helped design missiles for the DoD (the proverbial rocket scientist).His Dad used to tell us stories about how when he'd go out to Nevada to participate in tests,they used to drive 100MPH on the desert roads which,at that time,had no posted speed limit.

[G Larry]

"I have noticed over the past years that younger women have become more aggresive..."

Your sentence was Waaay too long.

She was probably late from "tutoring" some 14 yr. old.

[armydoc]

Sorry, but momentum = 1/2 mv squared

Um, no. Momentum is M*V. Energy is 1/2MV^2.

Regarding the safety of 100MPH+ driving, it certainly can be done safely. Witness Germany. I was routinely passed while going 110MPH, sometimes by families in station wagons. The key is that drivers over there know not to hang out in the left lane. You pass and get over quickly, lest a 150MPH Porsche rams up your backside. Yes, when an accident happens at that speed, it is horrendous. But, it is relatively infrequent. In many rural parts of the US, the roads certainly can handle 100MPH+ and the traffic is light enough to make it safe.

[hattend]

In many rural parts of the US, the roads certainly can handle 100MPH+ and the traffic is light enough to make it safe.

I-80 between Salt Lake and Reno
I-10 between Palm Springs and Phoenix
I-10 between Phoenix and Tucson
I-70 across Nebraska

Just some examples where I've seen 100+ on the speedo. I got stopped in lovelock Nevada once and the cop said he had me at 95. He said he understood about wanting to get across the desert quickly so he wrote me a ticket for wasting gasoline (same as if I left the car idling) instead of 30 over the limit, so my insurance wasn't impacted.

What a nice guy

Car safety has improved so much since the 1950's when the speed limits were established. Better suspension, better tires, more efficient enines, occupant safety... the speed limits should be raised to 75-80 on the interstates anyway. Those who don't want to drive that fast, stay the hell out of the left lane.

[ut1992]

Armydoc, I agree about driving in Germany. I worked for two years as an expat in Amsterdam and would regularly drive through Germany on my way to skiing in Austria or Switzerland. My company shipped my Volvo S90 3.0 24v 204bhp over with me and I had a ball driving on the autobahn. I would normally drive 100 mph, but many times would push it up to 120 mph behind german-tagged 3 or 5 series Beemers or S-Class Benzes. The other drivers often had surprise looks on their faces when a Volvo would be on their tail flashing his "passing" lights (high beams & fog lights) at them...and then would point to my Illinois license plates as I passed. Geez, that was fun.

[jonascord]

"And cops have warning lights on their cars so people see them coming."

If they bother to use them. Most don't unless they are going someplace specific. You get out here in the tall and uncut, where the only sign of humanity is a grain silo on the horizon and a contrail in the sky, and the greatest threat is falling asleep at the wheel... When the nearest town has "Welcome To..." and "Come Again..." on the same post, speed is not the problem it might be on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago.

[deport]

Let's see.... She's lives in Fargo, N.D., works as a teacher in Hayti, S.D. and was caught speeding in Cass County N.D. Fargo, ND to Hayti, SD is at least a 165 mile commute. No wonder she was hook'em at 100+...

[elli1]

I don't think she was headed to Hayti--The co-op she works for provides speech pathologists, etc. to a bunch of different school districts.

http://www.northeastcoop.org/index.asp

I suspect that she works in different schools on different days of the week and that the Co-op furnishes a car, pays the insurance and buys the gasoline. Makes me kinda' doubt that her boss is amused.

[sully777]

Hey now!

I lived in Gilmer and Dallas too. Kinda consider Texas my adopted home. Hope to buy some property in Prosper or Aubrey in a few years.

[sully777]

[rikkir]

"I-80 between Salt Lake and Reno
I-10 between Palm Springs and Phoenix
I-10 between Phoenix and Tucson
I-70 across Nebraska"

I agree with your assessment, except I-70 does not cross NE. It would either have to be I-70 through CO, or I-80 through NE. It could also be I-76 in NE and CO.
Also it must have been a while since you've been on I-10 between Tucson, and Phoenix. That's a fairly congested stretch of highway now days. However I-10 between El Paso / Las Cruses, and Tucson, you can really light the fires on that stretch. One also might try I-10 between San Antonio, and El Paso. Lots of leg room there.
I used to live in ND. 85mph across I-94 was the normal speed all the way to Billings, and once in MT they were really fun with that "reasonable and prudent" speed. They had to do away with that, couldn't define that one in court.

[hattend]

Yep, you're right... I-80

[festus]

100 mph is fast to be sure but not that fast. I've cruised at 90 for a long long way before.

[snippy_about_it]

Vroom!

[sausageseller]

Nah, I'm still thinking the tipster is Hans Moleman-like, or a holier-than-thou-type.

What other lawless acts are we to look the other way, when we see a person committing them?

Do you have a list?

[sully777]

Tipping cows

[tx_eggman]

Tipping cows

Clean up in cube 6B04 .... coffee spewed on keyboard and screen