Posted on 10/29/2004 6:56:10 AM PDT by Dubya
EULESS - Ashley Owen White never dreamed that one day she would be pulled over and accused of speeding by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
But on Oct. 21, that's what happened, leaving the 26-year-old family counselor scared and perplexed. All she wanted, she said Thursday, "was to vote early."
Euless police reports state that an EPA special agent pulled White over in the parking lot of Trinity High School. White, of Bedford, said the agent never gave her a badge number or name after he stopped her in an unmarked sports utility vehicle.
A Tarrant county prosecutor said the EPA agent had authority to stop her, but state laws appear to say different.
The incident is an internal matter, said Warren Amburn of the EPA's Criminal Investigation Division in Dallas, where the agent, Carlton Patton, works.
Patton could not be reached Thursday for comment.
White said she plans to file a complaint against the agent with Euless police.
"I was crying after Euless police arrived because I still didn't know what his intentions were at that time," White said. "I was shaking."
Patton saw White driving a BMW traveling 30 to 35 mph in a 25 mph school zone in front of Euless Junior High about 3 p.m. Oct. 21, according to Euless police reports.
In an interview Thursday, White said she wasn't speeding. She said she was on the access road heading toward the Euless Library for early voting.
At the next traffic signal, Patton pulled up beside White, waved at her and rolled down his window, reports state. He told her that she needed to slow down in the school zone. She looked away, but he got her attention again by waving, and then flashed a badge. White saw the badge but didn't get the number, she said.
White drove through the intersection, and reports say Patton followed and turned on his emergency lights. He stopped her in the parking lot of Trinity High School, the reports state.
The reports say Patton and White accused each other of refusing to provide identification.
"He finally said he was a special agent with the EPA," White said Thursday. "That's when I answered, 'And you pulled me over for what?' Patton said he was heading up a program to keep kids safe in school zones, White said.
"I had heard of people impersonating officers and then raping female victims," White said. "I kept asking him for his badge and name, and he wouldn't give it to me. I was on the phone with my husband and Dad, and they kept telling me to drive off, but I wanted to get his badge number and name."
Although she never got the badge number and name, Patton's business card was attached to police reports.
Sometime during the incident, Patton called Euless police for backup, according to reports. Two patrol officers arrived. White was allowed to leave without being issued a speeding ticket. Patton also left after talking to officers.
Euless police Lt. Steve Eskew said Thursday that the department was not investigating.
A Tarrant County prosecutor said Thursday that the EPA agent did have authority.
"His version was that there was a breach of peace because she was speeding and almost hit a vehicle," said Kurt Stallings, a Tarrant County assistant district attorney who spoke to EPA officials in Washington about the matter Thursday.
The Euless police report does not mention White nearly hitting a vehicle.
The Texas Code of Criminal Procedure defines 34 types of peace officers in the state, including police officers and deputies, who may arrest someone without a warrant if the offense is a felony or an offense against the public peace, including traffic offenses.
The code of criminal procedure also notes that criminal investigators of the United States are not peace officers of the state, but they have the power to arrest, search or seizure during a felony.
Under the Texas Penal Code, speeding in a school zone is not a felony.
BATF? You're lucky that he didn't empty out a few magazines of ammo into your car in order to save your passengers and issue a ticket. (The FBI Hostage Roasting Team would have set your car on fire to do that.)
Because I have the sense of proportion you seem to lack.
No, that's not Federalism. Federalism would be a good thing. This is undue elevation of the central national government.
"What is an EPA guy doing serveillance at a SCHOOL. More than meets the eye."
I don't think it reads that he was surveilling the school. Likely he was driving on the same road, saw the lady driving faster than the speed limit and then let his EPA authority go to his head.
Boo freakin hoo. I see these idiots all the time fly through school zones, glad one of them finally got busted. Just another selfish snot who thinks the rules apply to everybody else but them, that anything is ok as long as nobody is looking.
And your 'police state' hyperbole seems ill placed, given your tag line. Where in the Bible does Jesus say it is ok to break the rules if nobody is looking?
epa or was it pta
But then we will have
citizens pulling over
other citizens
and asking to see
their papers . . . Is that better
than if Feds do it?!
"Hope he enjoys the private sector."
I agree. Gross abuse of authority.
But, when did that ever get any FED. govt. employee fired?
Next time you see one, ask them if they need help getting home.
"I had a similar event several years ago. An agent of the BATF (funny, the spellcheck wants to change this to BARF) pulled my car full of college students (I was a student also) for going 65 in a 55 zone."
I'm guessing you were not in Tn. with the family dog in the car?
Gestapo?????
"bimbo"
Strange choice of descriptive terms for a person you never met and know nothing about.
Have you proof of her status as a "bimbo"?
I see little to no wrongdoing on the part of this woman, particularly so in the way of "bimbo" activity, so why the label?
I know exactly where this is, and your insinuations are completely off base. When he and the other cars are driving 25, and another car passes them going much faster, its very easy to tell that they are speeding. No surveillance, he just happened to be there when this happened, and did what many of us have done before, called the person on their blatant disregard for the law and everyone else. When she got uppity he then pulled her over. Good for him.
NO he was either lying or he is a problem.
Then PLEASE give us the details of this EPA school program.
Everyone needs to know their rights. You need to know how to say: "am I free to go?" and repeat this phrase at nauseum. If they say "no", then ask what crime has been committed to justify your (brief, no more than 30 minutes) detention (or probable cause to justify your arrest.)
You might like this one.
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