Llara Brook and Josh Kelly discuss their encounter with the Baltimore City Police last Saturday. The couple became lost after leaving a Baltimore Orioles game, and found themselves arrested and robbed all in one night.
Posted on 05/17/2006 12:00:24 PM PDT by fjsva
Baltimore City police arrested a Virginia couple over the weekend after they asked an officer for directions.
WBAL-TV 11 News I-Team reporter David Collins said Joshua Kelly and Llara Brook, of Chantilly, Va., got lost leaving an Orioles game on Saturday. Collins reported a city officer arrested them for trespassing on a public street while they were asking for directions .
"In jail for eight hours -- sleeping on a concrete floor next to a toilet," Kelly said.
"It was a nightmare," Brook said. "I was in there thinking I was just dreaming and waiting to wake up."
Collins reported it was a nightmare ending to a nearly perfect day. He said the couple went to a company picnic and watched the Orioles beat Kansas City. It was their first trip to Camden Yards and asked two people for directions to Interstate 95 South when they left.
Collins said somehow they ended up in the Cherry Hill section of south Baltimore. Hopelessly lost, relief melted away concerns after they spotted a police vehicle.
"I said, 'Thank goodness, could you please get us to 95?" Kelly said.
"The first thing that she said to us was no -- you just ran that stop sign, pull over," Brook said. "It wasn't a big deal. We'll pay the stop sign violation, but can we have directions?"
"What she said was 'You found your own way in here, you can find your own way out.'" Kelly said.
Collins said the couple spotted another police vehicle and flagged that officer down for directions. But Officer Natalie Preston, a six-year veteran of the force, intervened.
"That really threw us for a loop when she stepped in between our cars," Kelly said. "(She) said my partner is not going to step in front of me and tell you directions if I'm not."
Collins reported the circumstances got worse. Kelly pulled 40 feet forward parking next to a curb and put his flashers on while Brook was on the phone to her father hoping he could help her with directions. Both her parents are police officers in the Harrisburg, Pa., area.
"(Brook's father) was in the middle of giving us directions when the officer screeched up behind us and got out of the car and asked me to step out. I obeyed," Kelly said. "I obeyed everything -- stepped out of the car, put my hands behind my back, and the next thing I know, I was getting arrested for trespassing."
"By this time, I was completely in tears," Brook said. "I said, 'Ma'am, you know, we just need your help. We are not trying to cause you any trouble. I'm not leaving him here.' What she did was walk over to my side of the car and said, 'Ok, we are taking you downtown, too.'"
Collins said the couple was released from jail without being charged with anything. Brook is now concerned the arrest may complicate a criminal background check she's going through in her job as a child care worker.
Collins said police left Kelly's car unlocked and the windows down at the impound lot. He reported a cell phone charger, pair of sunglasses and 20 CDs were stolen.
Baltimore City police said they are looking into the incident.
I think yours is a very reasonable assumption.
Talk about "copping a bad attitude!" Man, these cops in Balmer really do suck big time. Someone ought to smack this cop in the wallet with a pink slip, and fire her ass. Sounds typical of a Baltimore coppette!
Cops always seem annoyed when asked for directions.
This is outrageous!
I want an explanation. I can't tell at all why these people were arrested!
Not always.
If you screw up and end up in the Philly Badlands, the cops will give you directions and advice.
The advice?
"Don't stop at any stopsign, and if you come to a red light, look both ways and cruise through, now GET THE HELL OUTTAHERE!"
Viva Zero Tolerance.
This is Mayor O'Malley's policy - telling the cops NOT to bother with illegals.
Sounds like an affirmative action hire.
I wondered the same thing.
Well . . . at least they weren't obliged to disrobe and then be photographed.
Sounds like a cop or 2 needs a serious ass kicking.
Based on what's been reported so far anyway.
A retired Dallas Police Officer was my company's security officer. I bought him lunch and and asked his advise. He suggested a jury trial and recommended that I subpoena everyone from the Police Chief on down to the offending officer. When I asked the Asst DA for help in preparing and presenting the subpoenas he rolled his eyes, talked to the judge. The judge called me forward and dimissed the case whereupon I objected!!! I wanted a chance to clear my name and he assured me it was clean and clear.
In this case, moola would be a necessary balm for the balmy behavior of that person in Blue!
I was ticketed while parking legally at our local library...because I had a college parking sticker, the cop thought I was using the library for college parking purposes.. except the college was 2 miles away! I wrote a letter objecting and the ticket was rescinded.
Sometimes you gotta push back. Glad your ticked was "quashed".
Hey! You gotta read this article!! Don't you have "fond" memories of Maryland? LOL
In the 1980s in Lafayette County Arkansas this sort of thing was routine. I lost count of how many people were thrown in jail for having a flat tire, stopping on the side of the road with car trouble, talking to a cop or calling the cops to report something.
Sounds like the fem fuzz were missing the big girl-friend shindig down south and just wanted to be alone together. How dare civillians interrupt them?
Llara Brook and Josh Kelly discuss their encounter with the Baltimore City Police last Saturday. The couple became lost after leaving a Baltimore Orioles game, and found themselves arrested and robbed all in one night.
I'm speechless.
I'll bet $50 the "perps" were white, and the cop black. Guilty of DWW, driving in Balto while white.
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