My sister (with a minivan filled with kids) was stopped once and told to pay on the spot and was absolutely convinced from the encounter that it was a dirty or fake cop engaged in highway robbery and was horribly frightened by the whole thing. She was very frightened of the officer’s aggressive insistence on immediate payment.
Since we can’t hear the verbal exchange at the initial encounter, is it possible that this women was similarly freaked out and that is why she took off the first time?
(I realized that the cops allege drugs and bongs were found in the car, but cops alos lie and plant evidence. And after the hot mess this stop turned into, they would be very motivated to “find” evidence that would make the lady appear to be a drug addled nutcase, so I’m not taking the alleged drugs at face value until more is known about this family).
In New Mexico, if you get asked to pay cash right there on the road, you are literally being robbed, likely by someone who just bought a flashing red light. Either shoot it out with the criminal, or pay up and then call 911 when you can escape. Etc etc.
New Mexico corruption in the traffic zone tends to take the form of overzealous and unreasonable enforcement. With no quarter given. In fact, even in the anal probe case they followed the rules, except a few minor procedural points. Had the dog had its certification updated, and the search had of wound up in the same county, and had the judge certified it for night time, it would have all been legal.
Its insane, but true. The problem in NM is the rules themselves, its not really a New Orleans type of “give me your money” corruption. In NM that direct shakedown is only reserved for businessmen seeking state contracts or permits, and people seeking judge appointments from Bill Richardson, etc.
I said are you kidding? I might think I'm guilty but to a cop on the side of the road is the wrong place to make that admission, ever for any reason, and I would go to court.
He went back to the car and when he came back and gave me the ticket it was for a future court date in the town where I live (in NM) and it clearly states on the ticket that officers are never to demand or accept payment at the roadside.
So who knows? At first it seemed to me that was exactly what he was demanding. Maybe they have two different sets of procedures they can use at will?