So were heading home from the bowling ally Sunday morning about 1:30 am. We bowled a few games with some friends at the local alley and afterwards decided to order some hot wings from the local Denny’s to take home. The wife wanted to drop off my car and go together in her truck to get the wings.

As I’m heading down the street to my house, I spot a squad car parked on a side street 2 blocks from my house. I also notice some officers on foot with flashlights. Pretty unusual for our neighborhood. Didn't think much of it.

Anyway, I hit the garage door opener, pull my car in and get out. As I turn toward the open garage door I see a swarm of cops running up to the house, one charges into the garage ordering me away from my car and out of the garage. I ask him what’s going on and he replies that I was involved in a ”hit and run” with a police officer that evening.

Ok. I’m actually relieved because I know now WTF is going on and it’s obviously some kind of mistake. They separate us, then they ask me if I was driving the truck tonight to which I reply “no”. He asks “any of your kids maybe”, again “No. My wife has had the truck all day.”

With they pat me down and put me in the back of the police SUV. One of the cops says, “Just put him in the car, you don’t have to cuff him”. There I sit for at least 10 minutes. I can see that everything appears to be pretty calm. My wife is talking with the cops, they’ve combed over the truck and can’t find any damage, so I rap on the window, the female cop rolls down the back window and I ask if I can get out of the back. She tells me “There’s a reason for you being there” and promptly rolls the window up. Now I’m getting pissed. I can understand if they don’t want us together, but locking me in the car was bullshit. I was being totally cooperative.

Eventually they figure out that rather than clipping an undercover cop and running him off the road as they initially stated, it appeared that my wife made contact with a car (you guessed it, an unmarked cop car) backing out of her parking spot earlier in the day. She was at a restaurant after bowling in a tournament earlier in the day.  The local cops leave  (leaving us and our dog unharmed) and indicate that a cop from the county where the incident took place would come out to investigate. He’s shows up about 1/2 hour later and finds a small scuff about ½” x 1” long on the lower corner of the truck’s right bumper of what appears to be silver paint. The color of the unmarked Ford Mustang.

Now my wife is freaked. The investigating detective is telling her they take hit and runs very seriously and that aside from heavy fines, jail time is also an option.  She had no idea she bumped anyone and the damage to the cops car is very minor. She’s got a F250 4x4 with the off road package so it’s big and sits up high.

My wife has a spotless driving / criminal record so I can’t imagine how they could or would do anything more than fine her at worse. On the other hand, every time I’ve ever been in a traffic courtroom, it seems the system views everyone as complete fuckups unworthy of any consideration and are presumed to be guilty until you can prove otherwise which is laughably unlikely.

I’ve always felt we had a fair legal system, and that my wife will be treated fairy, but in the back of my mind I’m worried.

I would have thought that a simple knock on your door would have been easier.

One cop, and he asks to check out the truck since he believes that your wife tapped his ride in the lot.  

Seems like a waste of manpower.

No offense, and I am sure that your wife is a great lady, but she knew that she hit a car.

All of that for some missing paint? What a fucking joke.

Dang.

Take pics. and lawyer up.

Quoted: I’ve always felt we had a fair legal system, and that my wife will be treated fairy,

You can't be serious.

wow

And your talking to police officers about a crime you or your wife may have commited for what reason without a lawyer?

Get a lawyer. Now.

either her truck is too big for her/she shouldn't be driving it or she knew she hit the car.

Quoted: No offense, and I am sure that your wife is a great lady, but she knows that she hit a car.

That's putting it politely.

Just be glad that you didn't "resist" and get a good solid beating from a bunch of cops while you were handcuffed.  

Your dog has no idea how close he was to death.

they may have over reacted but your wife did fuck up if she backed into a car and took off. i see nothing good coming from this.

Quoted: Your dog has no idea how close he was to death.

Closer than walking through a Korean neighborhood the day before Thanksgiving!!!

For a 1.5" scuff they should have sent in the APCs.  These cops were really reckless in their lack of force.  This situation could have spiraled out of control very quickly.

What was your dog doing at the time of the "incident"

Quoted: Your dog has no idea how close he was to death.

Quoted: What was your dog doing at the time of the "incident"

Uhhh, hiding??

Quoted: I’ve always felt we had a fair legal system, and that my wife will be treated fairly

Quoted: Quoted: What was your dog doing at the time of the "incident" Uhhh, hiding??

Probably sayin' his prayers.

Quoted: No offense, and I am sure that your wife is a great lady, but she knew that she hit a car.

I don't know if I agree with that.  If my wife were driving a truck like that, she probably wouldn't know about such small contact as that.

But that's why she doesn't drive something like that.

Sounds like they just had a normal case of "Alice's Restaurantitis".

No offense, and I am sure that your wife is a great lady, but she knew that she hit a car

She is, thanks.  She claims not to have noticed and I'm inclined to believe her given the circumstances. Many years ago, she backed out of a driveway and hit someone's car causing minor damage. No one saw her and she could have bolted but she knocked on their door to let them know what happened. That is why we have car insurance. This happened in broad daylight in a crowded parking lot.

Quoted: either her truck is too big for her/she shouldn't be driving it or she knew she hit the car.

I'm beginning to think your right. Is may be too big for her (her comment). As for her knowing - see above.

Definately lawyer up.  

I believe most cops are good people, especially around where I live.  But there are a fair number of power-tripped prick cops who will make your life miserable.  The only known defense for a power-tripped cop is a money-hungry blood-thirsty lawyer.

Its time for you to get one of those heartless, criminal-loving scum-sucking godless defense lawyers now.

The cops are really right on this kind of thing when it's another cop or a cop car involved.  However if it had have been just some ordinary civilian's car they would have taken a report then promptly forgotten it.

Get a lawyer, get one NOW.  Were both of you read your rights?  If so you should have shut up until your lawyer was present.   Time for damage control.

Hopefully, the S.O. will realize that it was a small mistake on your wifes' part, that they over reacted to a very minimal amount of damage, and they'll let it go. No citation or summons.

But you guys really have no idea how crazy some of our administrators get over very very minor unexplained damage to a fleet unit. There thought is ; either you did it or you damn well better prove to us that you didn't. Once the brass find out that it was a simple mistake, by a law abiding citizen, maybe they'll see it for just that.

Swat out

I backed into a car once that had illegally parked behind me without me noticing until the truck quit moving.  I kept pushing the gas with no movement so I got out and looked and I was mushing into this Honda's bumper.  My truck was a 2wd f-150 regular cab.  It just happend to be the angle and the dumbass parking in the aisle that I couldn't see it and wouldn't have felt it if the truck had kept moving.  

I wonder if they would swarm a home like that if a car hit yours in a lot and you got the plate.

Quoted: The cops are really right on this kind of thing when it's another cop or a cop car involved.  However if it had have been just some ordinary civilian's car they would have taken a report then promptly forgotten it. Get a lawyer, get one NOW.  Were both of you read your rights?  If so you should have shut up until your lawyer was present.   Time for damage control.

Neither was arrested - no need to read them their rights.  Sounds like the officer responsible for the 'damaged' car might have embellished a bit when requesting the local PD to contact the driver of the suspect vehicle.  Nah, that would never happen.  The officers who contacted you only had the info from the reporting party....

Brian

Lawyer up and threaten to sue. WTF ? place you in custody over missing paint? In a parking lot? I consider my self a resonable guy, this is way too much over some scraped paint.  And no I don't hate all L.E. , I used to be 1 in fact.
 

been in my truck and i completely smashed the side of a dodge neon while backing out of a parking spot, she flew into the parking spot right next to me while i was pulling out, so im looking backwards and in the passenger side mirrors.

im destroying the side of this womans neon , thinking the engines cold (diesel) and it just needed a little more fuel to move up the incline.

It really  isnt hard to not notice you bumping into another vehicle when you have something that weighs 7200 pounds.

was my first "car accident" in 30 years.

A parking lot ding is now a hit and run?

Filing a false report: Run off the road? Witnesses?

I would love to see what a jury would do with this if it ever made it to court.
I'd bet all charges would be withdrawn.




Asshats. These are the kind jokers that give cops a bad name.

I wonder if this is a personal car and not a fleet car.  A silver mustang?  Sounds to me like someone was saving up for their hot car, and they get it and someone puts a ding into it.  Goes on a power trip and tells neighboring department that there was "a hit and run on a cop."  

Quoted: I wonder if this is a personal car and not a fleet car.  A silver mustang?  Sounds to me like someone was saving up for their hot car, and they get it and someone puts a ding into it.  Goes on a power trip and tells neighboring department that there was "a hit and run on a cop."

Probably.

There may or may not be more to the story here.

My opinion (you get what you paid for, its the internet, blah blah blah), I'd be willing to bet your wife knew she hit it, but was like "oops - silly me, its nothing" and kept going.  Maybe not, I wasn't there.

The fact that the cops were swarming in all JBT-like over a paint scrape?  F-ed up.  But it does make me wonder.  Perhaps they were just bored.

I'd definitely lawyer up though.  

Hopefully there will be a good outcome from this.  Sounds a little overboard for a 1 1/2 scrape.

In HS I was walking out through the parking lot after school, which was still crowded because of a basketball game, and witnessed a conversion van back up and completely rip off the bumper of a car behind it. The vans bumper hooked the cars and just ripped it right off. The van just kept on going, normal speed, and the driver acted like nothing happened. If I had been closer I would have gotten the tag. Something of this magnitude would have warranted what happened to you. Just imagine if this had happened in NYC, you would have laughed them out the door with that one. I have seen people with 60k Mercedes using their bumpers to "feel" there way into a parking spots there.

Quoted: So were heading home from the bowling ally Sunday morning about 1:30 am. We bowled a few games with some friends at the local alley and afterwards decided to order some hot wings from the local Denny’s to take home. The wife wanted to drop off my car and go together in her truck to get the wings. As I’m heading down the street to my house, I spot a squad car parked on a side street 2 blocks from my house. I also notice some officers on foot with flashlights. Pretty unusual for our neighborhood. Didn't think much of it. Anyway, I hit the garage door opener, pull my car in and get out. As I turn toward the open garage door I see a swarm of cops running up to the house, one charges into the garage ordering me away from my car and out of the garage. I ask him what’s going on and he replies that I was involved in a ”hit and run” with a police officer that evening. Ok. I’m actually relieved because I know now WTF is going on and it’s obviously some kind of mistake. They separate us, then they ask me if I was driving the truck tonight to which I reply “no”. He asks “any of your kids maybe”, again “No. My wife has had the truck all day.” With they pat me down and put me in the back of the police SUV. One of the cops says, “Just put him in the car, you don’t have to cuff him”. There I sit for at least 10 minutes. I can see that everything appears to be pretty calm. My wife is talking with the cops, they’ve combed over the truck and can’t find any damage, so I rap on the window, the female cop rolls down the back window and I ask if I can get out of the back. She tells me “There’s a reason for you being there” and promptly rolls the window up. Now I’m getting pissed. I can understand if they don’t want us together, but locking me in the car was bullshit. I was being totally cooperative. Eventually they figure out that rather than clipping an undercover cop and running him off the road as they initially stated, it appeared that my wife made contact with a car (you guessed it, an unmarked cop car) backing out of her parking spot earlier in the day. She was at a restaurant after bowling in a tournament earlier in the day.  The local cops leave  (leaving us and our dog unharmed) and indicate that a cop from the county where the incident took place would come out to investigate. He’s shows up about 1/2 hour later and finds a small scuff about ½” x 1” long on the lower corner of the truck’s right bumper of what appears to be silver paint. The color of the unmarked Ford Mustang. Now my wife is freaked. The investigating detective is telling her they take hit and runs very seriously and that aside from heavy fines, jail time is also an option.  She had no idea she bumped anyone and the damage to the cops car is very minor. She’s got a F250 4x4 with the off road package so it’s big and sits up high. My wife has a spotless driving / criminal record so I can’t imagine how they could or would do anything more than fine her at worse. On the other hand, every time I’ve ever been in a traffic courtroom, it seems the system views everyone as complete fuckups unworthy of any consideration and are presumed to be guilty until you can prove otherwise which is laughably unlikely. I’ve always felt we had a fair legal system, and that my wife will be treated fairy, but in the back of my mind I’m worried.

That sounds kinda funny to me. So, a cop claims that she "ran him off the road", and they do a ninja takedown as a result, and it turns out that she just scraped a parked car a little. Is anything going to happen to this cop for essentially making up a load of crap? What would they do to one of us if we accused someone of running us off the road with a vehicle twice the size of ours, and it turned out they actually just scraped our parked car in a parking lot? I thought cops were supposed to be highly-trained expert observers and all. This isn't a little exxageration, it's a nonsense story that had nothing to do with what actually happened.

Quoted: Your dog has no idea how close he was to death.

Tru Dat!!!  Dogs are always the first victims, they are misunderstood and persecuted.



Seriously, Smitty, I don't know about ILL laws, but in FLA, if I read your story correctly, and it appears the so-called "hit and run" occured in a parking lot, as in PRIVATE PROPERTY, there was no crime.

I've been hit twice in ten years in FLA and called to complain and get a LEO on the scene and since there was "almost no damage" and no injuries, and it was on private property, the LEOs have no interest in it, and its not a "crime".

If you dont mind me asking, but what part of IL did this happen?

Good thing the cop wasn't sitting in the parked Mustang. They would probably be threatening attempted murder or assault charges with the logic these cops are using.

My car has been hit three times in my work parking lot. They are incredulous every time I ask to have an officer take a report.

Quoted: Quoted: Your dog has no idea how close he was to death. Tru Dat!!!  Dogs are always the first victims, they are misunderstood and persecuted. Seriously, Smitty, I don't know about ILL laws, but in FLA, if I read your story correctly, and it appears the so-called "hit and run" occured in a parking lot, as in PRIVATE PROPERTY, there was no crime. I've been hit twice in ten years in FLA and called to complain and get a LEO on the scene and since there was "almost no damage" and no injuries, and it was on private property, the LEOs have no interest in it, and its not a "crime".

Exactly. The investigator told my wife that this is taken very seriously, especially since it was a cop car.  My thought on this is that the type of vehicle is irrelevant. The only exception would be if you did it intentionally, doing it to a cop would be more seroius than if you did it to some guy that took your parking spot.

The local cops did say had they know the facts at the time, they would have just left a card in the mailbox. I still think the county would have taken the same position thay have now.


BTW, my understanding is that the cop was a female undercover and the car was county property.

OK, unless the laws are different in your state, cops can’t give tickets for accidents in private parking lots. A woman hit my daughter’s car in the mall parking lot, then the dumb ass parked right beside it. A guy sitting in his car saw it and told her when she came out. We called the cops. The responding officer explained that he couldn’t do any thing but be a witness, so he ran the license and got us the drivers name and address. Then he filled out a report and told us to contact our insurance company and have them get the money from the driver.

Base on my experience, I don’t see how the cops can justify the actions you describe. They don’t have the authority. Something’s fucked up here.

Edit, I'm a slow typist........now I see what's fucked up, the female undercover officer over reacted and could have got you guys shot.

Sounds like the police are just waving their dicks around. Get a lawyer and consider filing a lawsuit. Odds are the police will drop the whole thing like a hot potato when you do. Trying to terrify people (RESPECT MY AUTHORITY!!!) might be a lot of fun but it’s going to loose its appeal when they have to justify their actions in court.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Your dog has no idea how close he was to death. Tru Dat!!!  Dogs are always the first victims, they are misunderstood and persecuted. Seriously, Smitty, I don't know about ILL laws, but in FLA, if I read your story correctly, and it appears the so-called "hit and run" occured in a parking lot, as in PRIVATE PROPERTY, there was no crime. I've been hit twice in ten years in FLA and called to complain and get a LEO on the scene and since there was "almost no damage" and no injuries, and it was on private property, the LEOs have no interest in it, and its not a "crime". Exactly. The investigator told my wife that this is taken very seriously, especially since it was a cop car.  My thought on this is that the type of vehicle is irrelevant. The only exception would be if you did it intentionally, doing it to a cop would be more seroius than if you did it to some guy that took your parking spot. The local cops did say had they know the facts at the time, they would have just left a card in the mailbox. I still think the county would have taken the same position thay have now. BTW, my understanding is that the cop was a female undercover and the car was county property.

I'd be wanting to get a copy of the "victim's" report and have the dispatcher's tapes pulled as well.  If the officer reported being run off the road when it was far from the case I would insist that action be taken against the officer.

Quoted: Eventually they figure out that rather than clipping an undercover cop and running him off the road as they initially stated, it appeared that my wife made contact with a car (you guessed it, an unmarked cop car) backing out of her parking spot earlier in the day. She was at a restaurant after bowling in a tournament earlier in the day.  The local cops leave  (leaving us and our dog unharmed) and indicate that a cop from the county where the incident took place would come out to investigate. He’s shows up about 1/2 hour later and finds a small scuff about ½” x 1” long on the lower corner of the truck’s right bumper of what appears to be silver paint. The color of the unmarked Ford Mustang.

This is your leverage against any kind of serious hit and run charge. If they charge your wife, you demand the original officer is charged with making a false report. If they let you simply pay the damages to the officer's car, then everyone collectively agrees to "no harm done".

Frankly, though, my bet is that they make the suggestion that you pay the damages to the other car, your wife gets some kind of citation ("failure to maintain control" or something silly like that), and the whole thing blows over. Don't spend too much on a lawyer before you know what they're gonna do. But don't do any talking to them either. They'll come back with a suggestion. If the suggestion is "pay for the repairs and accept this $500 traffic ticket", then I don't think a lawyer is really necessary.

Addison in Dupage County.