ColoradoCriminals

[Gregory Matthews]

1) Thirty-four year-old George Martlinez III is accused of robbing three Longmont banks in a 14-day perod in November. Police began searching for him when he left a wallet with identification (and additional items) in (or near) one of the banks that he is suspected of robbing. In addition to his identification, the wallet contained methamphetamine. He is suspected of robbing other banks.

2) Forty-five year-old Dan Citron, of Berthoud was stopped by police on January 4, for a traffic violation. The officer did a Colorado criminal database, and informed him that Longmont had issued a warrant for his arrest, which he needed to clear. But, the officer declined to arrest him. Later yesterday, the Longmont Police Department informed Citron that he had been issued a ticket in 1986 for failure to have his dog on a leash. As he had never paid the fine, the ticket had been converted to a warrent for arrest.

Citron denies owning a dog in 1986, and states that he was never issued such a ticket. However, after his mug shot was taken, he was delighted to pay the $70.00 fine, and clear his record of the arrest warrent.

[CyberGuy]

Paying the $70 ticket does not mean the man is guilty. It would cost him more in time and money to fight the ticket than to pay it.

I have heard of cases where people got a parking ticket but never got it. It is common practice for people who do not want to pay for parking to grab a parking ticket from another car. Then that person who got the ticket would get an arrest warrent for any driver of that car.

Just because someone is alleged to have received a ticket does not mean that due process was served.

In Arizona they have these cameras that take a picture of your car as it speeds. They then send a processor to the house and if that processor THINKS someone is home he can stick it in the door. Many times the person had moved or was out of the country or some family member was driving the car.

Even if the picture proved that the owner of the car was NOT the driver that person still MUST pay the ticket or forfeit his or her car. One person had 20 tickets in a three days. She did not even know she had gotten a ticket. The court took her car as she did t have the $1200 in fines. Speeding during the day on the freeways and those blank camaras take your picture and you are not even aware of it.

Some people have taken that to court and all camaras in Arizona are now disabled until the courts rule on this. The newspapers think the law needs to be changed. Like having the owner sign for the ticket when served at the house and having the fine throw out if the picture proves the owner was not the driver etc.

[Gregory Matthews]

Cyber guy:

You are quite correct. The guy may have been innocent, and he may never have recieved the ticket.

I was once informed by an officer who had stopped me for a traffic violation, that there was a warrent out for my arrest. I had not recieved "due process." But, I was glad to clear the warrent by payingthe fine.

My point in posting was that 20 years had passed! And that the violation was not having a dog on a leash! Outstanding!

[LynnDel]

?

[Gregory Matthews]

O.K. What was the warrant for my arrest about?

I had been given a traffic ticket. That jurisdiction operates under rules where they later mail you a letter telling you what to do about the ticket. I never received my letter. They mailed it to the wrong address. I forgot about the details--could not remember where the ticket was, so I could not check on it.

So, they issued a warrant for my arrest!

I paid the fine, and fees for the warrant, and the additional fine for not responding to the letter mailed to the wrong address.

[CyberGuy]

I was once informed by an officer who had stopped me for a traffic violation, that there was a warrent out for my arrest. I had not recieved "due process." But, I was glad to clear the warrent by payingthe fine.

It is unfortunate that our system does that to people. Pay the fine as it is not worh fighting. How many unjust tickets are given hoping that most will not fight the ticket.