Driver plays a name game with officers

The Examiner (Independence, MO) ^ | 11/04/2003 | Ben Embry

[dighton]

When Independence police officers arrived at an accident on U.S. 24 Saturday night, they had no idea it might cost them $500,000 to write down the offending driver’s name.

But when they asked Daniel Smith, 45, the driver of the striking vehicle, for his driver’s license, he told them his name was copyrighted. Instead of handing them his license, he gave them a piece of paper he had generated on a computer saying that anyone who duplicated his name in any fashion would be subject to a lawsuit.

According to police reports, he then told the officers that he would not turn over his license unless he was given a receipt. When the officers informed him that he would be getting his license back, he refused and demanded a receipt.

The officers then called in for a supervisor. After he arrived, he was immediately added to the list of people being sued.

When the supervisor explained that Smith would need to contact the city’s Law Department, he said each time his name appears on any document it was a $500,000 action and if it was not paid within 10 days, it goes to $1.5 million.

Failing that, Smith said judgments would be entered against all parties involved and their property.

After the officers wrote tickets to Smith for expired tags, careless driving and improper registration, he refused to take back his license until given a receipt.

According to the police, when asked why he did not want his license back, he said the more times his name was written, the more money he would get.

He was offered a field receipt and sent on his way.

And by the way, although a person can legally copyright their name, under fair use laws, anyone can write down that name so long as they are not making money from it.

[buffyt]

expired tags, careless driving and improper registration

What a JERK.

[AppyPappy]

Crackpot. We'll hear about this guy again.

[FreePaul]

...anyone can write down that name so long as they are not making money from it.

Does that mean that the officers weren't being paid? Can the city make money from this action as in fines? Interesting but probably a waste of time.

[Ronin]

Depending on the judge he gets, the jury and how clever his lawyer is, this might actually go someplace. Silly it is, but silliness has a long history in American courts, unfortunately.

[Tijeras_Slim]

He can copyright his prison number.

[BluH2o]

I'm surprised the police officers didn't just confiscate this wacko's drivers license on the spot & call a tow truck.

[FreePaul]

He was too busy protecting his name to get tags and registration. We must put the important things first.

[lafroste]

Oh great. We just cost JR $500,000 for using Daniel Smith's name in the above article.

OOPS, now it's one million.

[CWOJackson]

They should have just thrown him in jail as a John Doe. When the jerks lawyer showed up asking for him by name they could always say they didn't have anyone here by that name.

[dighton]

Daniel Smith alert.

[wimpycat]

Daniel Smith is a NUT!

(So sue me, Dan.)

[Catspaw]

These whackjobs just used to charge $500k for the use of their names in court documents. I see Mr. Smith has shortened that into any cop saying his name.

[NicknamedBob]

"...saying that anyone who duplicated his name in any fashion would be subject to a lawsuit..."

Oh, sure! And I suppose that anyone else who uses that name would also be sued. How fortunate for him the name happened to be Smith. What if his parents had been named Coke?

[goodnesswins]

LOL.....do a google search....bet there are more than TEN Daniel Smith's here in the USA...probably more like a hundred.....what a dummie.

[MamaTexan]

I think this is hilarious....

anyone can write down that name so long as they are not making money from it.

After the officers wrote tickets to Smith

Isn't generating revenue 'making money' for the city?

I know the government's turned us all into corporations so it can have juristiction over us, but I never thought of using copyright laws. :)

[aculeus]

Does this guy's wife drive while nursing her baby?

(Please insert link to relevant thread HERE.)

[Jonah Hex]

Daniel Smyth is an idiot.

(Try to sue over THAT, Danny boy!)

[Vigilantcitizen]

"They should have just thrown him in jail as a John Doe. When the jerks lawyer showed up asking for him by name they could always say they didn't have anyone here by that name."

Heh, heh, heh.

Good one.

[dighton]

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