Where did that part of the story start? I read the first articles and there was nothing about that. I have never heard of anyone being asked to pay a ticket to the officer on the side of the road in New Mexico. If she admitted guilt she would be required to mail in her fine and given 30 days to do it. If she wished to plead innocent she would have been required to appear before a judge, so likely would have been taken into custody to make her appearance, that is true here for people out of state- right or wrong it is the law as I understand it. Nothing that I know of requires or allows people to pay their ticket on the roadside in New Mexico.
In some jurisdictions law enforcement can require the ticket be paid there or require an appearance. Apparently this occurred in one of those areas.
To clarify my earlier comment. They screwed up and allowed the situation to escalate. I have a problem with that because it endangered lives.
But thats not really cause to condemn the cops, until they opened fire.
I never ever heard of NM State Police requiring fine paid to officer on the side of the road. It does sound that way but I think the reporter must have misunderstood or the LEO wrote it up in a confusing way. In NM drivers do have to sign the ticket that you admit guilt and will pay the fine. It is my understanding if an out of state driver does not want to admit guilt they must appear before a judge as soon as possible. If she refused to admit guilt or appear before judge then she was subject to arrest.
I find it hard to believe the LEO started off being a jerk; she was speeding on a winding mountain road, and the officer could have arrested her on the spot for reckless driving if he just wanted to jack with her.