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.
She got "uppity" because she had no idea who or what he was. If some idiot in an unmarked vehicle flashed a badge at me and told me to pull over, I'd be scared to death, too, and I'd keep on driving until I got to a safe place. I'd agree with you if this had been a uniformed police officer in a police car, but it wasn't.
Is there an EPA legislation that authorizes Agents to pull people over for percieved speeding, then refuse to give name and badge number?
How about the IRS? Is this one of their duties as well?
This kind of unprofessional law enforcement is the exact thing that gets women raped and causes the public to lose confidence in their public officials.
After going back and forth with the "cop" who kept telling her to get out the car and yet refusing to show his badge, she finally just put the car in gear and took off straight to a police station.
Needless to say, he didn't follow her. She finds out at the station there is someone running around acting like a cop and pulling women over, telling them to get out of the vehicle and then rapes them.
So be smart out there, gals. Go at a respectable speed to somewhere where there's others around, keep the doors locked, windows up, and cellphone ready. The creeps are out there.
Sorry you took offense. I have no information the speeding woman was a bimbo. Therefore I will call her a twit... just kidding. How about someone who wasn't paying attention to a school zone and endangering the life of children. There, feel better?
I don't consider maxing out at 35 MPH in a school zone equal to "endangering children" with an automobile. Going 35 MPH is, in my opinion, driving pretty slow.
35 in a school zone is pretty slow? What happens over 40, you spill your beer? Sorry, no freebies on speeding in school zones.
I just read the article. You are exactly right. This guy was out of his power of authority.I think they need to dig into this and see what his real motive was, if they can.
I suspect this guy may have had something on his mind besides kids safty, ya know?
It may have been a real good thing for her that day having a cell phone to call her family when this happened.
Absolutely correct! I wouldn't have stopped either. Just b/c he "flashes a badge" doesn't mean a thing. No uniform, no badge. WTH!
Someone w/o a life!
Whoops! Should be "SAFETY." Doh!
Yes. Get a grip.
No, you misunderstand.
I did not take offense, I simply wish that we (as a group) withold our attacks for those that have demonstrated a uniqueness in qualifying for labels.
Examples:
John F'n Kerry. Is there any doubt in your mind that he is a horse's ass? He demonstrates it daily and his record proves it.
Terayza. She has demonstrated on many occasions that she is a idiot. Her actions and bleatings are indicative of a sweat hog status. This we know, this we cannot deny.
Hitlery. Needs no elaboration. Simply posting her name is enough. She has been labeled so much that we have exhausted our repertoire.
And the list is endless. I do not hesitate to label those that have publicly demonstrated an overwhelming qualification for such.
As for the lady in the story; twit may apply, since she showed little in the way of intelligent thinking by endangering children, assuming there were children in the area to be endangered.
Now the EPA agent is a horse of a different color.
Obviously, he is a self-admitted idiot by accepting employment in an armed agent status for a federal agency concerned with whether or not someone complies with overly-restrictive and downright silly regulations pertaining to, say the amount of arsenic residue in a treated piece of lumber, just in case someone were to eat it.
Of course, we, as conservatives, should question ourselves as to why and how we have allowed the EPA to get to a point where they would feel a need to be armed against the citizens of these United States.
I'll stop now, my head hurts.
Our Federal governement is way to big and way to involved in affairs that should be under its waterline and intrudes into affairs of states and now cities and towns.
Is she cute? That used to happen here...
Very well put.
I didn't see any pics of her and have no idea what she looks like.
WE could use him right here in RENO, he would be right at home.
I agree completely.
Umm, let me guess: "Speed limits are unconstituitional infringements on my liberty which soldiers are dying for even now, and besides, no blood no foul."?
Speed demons - and in a school zone, even one MPH over the limit is demonic - ought to be strung up and their heads put on pikes.
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