I knew I had the right to an attorney but opted to present my own case in court. I thought if I stuck to the facts, which were determined by highly extenuating circumstances, the judge would see things my way and wave the ticket and the fine. What I didn’t bargain for was the city attorney. He represented the officer in the case. I had no intention of disputing the officer’s claim that I was speeding. Rather, I thought a reasonable man would see that I was fleeing to possibly save my life.
There was only one witness, the officer who issued the ticket. The attorney asked him to outline the circumstances around his “stop”. That’s when I learned that he saw me make my final turn and accelerate down the street. That meant he hadn’t been following me down Woodward as I thought he did. If someone was following me, it wasn’t him. I silently surmised my thoughts of being tailed may have been a figment of my imagination. My weaving in and out of cars on Woodward was all for naught. The only real pursuit was the police car on the final two blocks. That fact didn’t dissuade me from presenting my case. I stuck to the facts collaborated by the officer.
I testified for myself and presented my findings.
- I had been threatened earlier that evening.
- I believed I was in danger and was doing my best to stay out of trouble.
- My final drive, which exceeded the posted limit, was my attempt to seek safety. Nothing more.
After listening to the officer, and hearing my testimony, the judge asked one question of me. “Were you exceeding the posted limit.?”
“Yes, but as I stated to the court, I had extenuating circumstances.”
He followed up with, “We’re not here to determine extenuating circumstances. My job is to listen to the testimony and decide if the law has been broken. Even you agree that it has. The court fines you guilty and assesses a fine of $50 and an additional $38 in court costs. The bailiff will escort you to pay the fine. If you’re unable to pay, you’ll serve three days in jail.”
Jail? No one ever mentioned jail. Court costs? What’s that? I later learned that jail is reserved for those unable, or unwilling, to pay. Court costs are an attempt to pay for the time it takes for you to present your case. I, apparently, rang up $38 of the court’s time.
Fortunately, I brought my checkbook with me. Thankfully, they took a check. I had my day in court and lost. The larger cost was the subsequent increase in my insurance premium. When I started driving my parents had me pay for their increased insurance fees. I’d done that for the past four years. While I was in college, I was able to stay on their policy, but I still had to pony up the money. There were no free rides.
I made a total of $2,690 in 1967, the year of my Mustang and my run in with the law. I was able to pay my way through college, also another requirement of my parents, but increasing my insurance premiums to $1,000 was out of the question. I just couldn’t do it. Fortunately, my dad offered up the switch cars deal.
The switch lasted somewhere between nine months and a year. After that I was back to being “cool” in my sweet ride. I just took things more slowly. I guess we mellow out as we learn life’s tougher lessons.