Cop Issues Speeding Ticket, Asks Driver for a Date and She Sues Him

RichieC

thought I'd run this by the gallery and see how folks think about it.

yes, America.

A Chicago police officer allegedly turned a $132 speeding ticket into a pick-up opportunity when he later tracked down the female driver and asked her out, saying the least he could do for the money he cost her was to treat her to dinner, according to a lawsuit the woman filed in federal court.

Evagelina Paredes filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Chicago, accusing police officer Chris Collins of violating her privacy, according to the Associated Press. She alleges that after she was ticketed on Oct. 22, Collins searched for her address in the motor-vehicle database and left a handwritten note on the windshield of her car, which was parked outside her apartment in the Chicago suburb of Stickney, asking her out on a date.

In the note, a copy of which appeared was included in the court documents and was obtained by the Associated Press, the 27-year-old police officer tried to woo the female driver with humor and a seemingly heartfelt plea.

"It's Chris … that ugly bald Stickney cop who gave you that ticket. … I know this may seem crazy and you're probably right, but truth is I have not stopped thinking about you since. I don't expect a girl as attractive as you to … even go for a guy like me, but I'm taking a shot anyways."
"I did cost you $132 - least I can do is buy you dinner,"

the note reportedly read.

The scenario is not that far off from the "meet-cutes" of Hollywood romantic comedies. In the 2011 hit "Bridesmaids," Kirsten Wiig's character starts a relationship with the traffic cop who let her out of a ticket for a broken taillight.

Arguably, it's a lot less "cute" when it happens in real-life.
Paredes claims that the note caused her to "suffer great fear and anxiety." In the lawsuit, which seeks unspecified payments in damages, saccording to the Associated Press, she alleges that Collins used his position as a police officer to "manipulate" her into going out with him. Collins declined to comment to the Associated Press.

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/cop-issues-speeding-ticket-asks-driver-date-she-002427538.html

Gold digger faking distress, over reaction or quite right? I'm going to go with option A even though I do think the cop was being a little thick.

Micky Dolenz

Abuse of power. What a numpty.

Was she hot?

Namlub

That's romantic if he's hot. If he's ugly, it's creepy.

Feeona

Poor guy! Sounds like he was fairly innocent. If your one was that scared of him finding her details illegally, she should have just told him to feck off and that would've been that.

yermandan

Pics etc

RichieC

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Abuse of power. What a numpty.

Was she hot?

going by her name she sounds hot, but I can't find any evidence..

metaoblivia

I don't think a lawsuit was in order, but it was an abuse of power on his part. Not the smartest idea and kind of creepy, tbh. She should have contacted the station he worked for and reported him. I doubt he would have been fired, but he probably would have been reprimanded, which is a more fitting punishment.

amacca

RichieC wrote: »

Gold digger faking distress, over reaction or quite right? I'm going to go with option A even though I do think the cop was being a little thick.

ffs I'd say he was lucky he didn't end up going out with her

she could have just declined or ignored it.........................then if he continued pestering take it to da laaaaw!

that harry met sally/ pretty woman sh1t never works in real life tho.

RichieC

a lot of the stories will note she's a defenceless single 'mom' to ramp up the emotional aspect of the stalker cop..

the last thing she needs is a well heeled cop for a partner :pac:

DoesNotCompute

Cop Issues Speeding Ticket, Asks Driver for a Date and She Sues Him

Only in America.

Chuck Stone

It's just a bit dumb. What's she suing for?

500 Trillion Dollars for mental distress?

FatherLen

ha jaysus, those yanks sure do love a good lawsuit.

Liam Byrne

metaoblivia wrote: »

I don't think a lawsuit was in order, but it was an abuse of power on his part. Not the smartest idea and kind of creepy, tbh. She should have contacted the station he worked for and reported him. I doubt he would have been fired, but he probably would have been reprimanded, which is a more fitting punishment.

If he'd promised to drop the ticket if she went out with him it would be an abuse of power along the lines of what she's claiming. He didn't.

A slap on the wrist is in order if he used the database to find her address, though.

He got off lucky by her not agreeing.

mackg

"It's Chris … that ugly bald Stickney cop who gave you that ticket. … I know this may seem crazy and you're probably right, but truth is I have not stopped thinking about you since. I don't expect a girl as attractive as you to … even go for a guy like me, but I'm taking a shot anyways."
"I did cost you $132 - least I can do is buy you dinner,"

Not really that threatening is it? metaoblivia had it right, the fact she went straight for the lawsuit makes it look pretty suspect. I'm not saying that what they cop did wasn't wrong.

RichieC

mackg wrote: »

Not really that threatening is it? metaoblivia had it right, the fact she went straight for the lawsuit makes it look pretty suspect. I'm not saying that what they cop did wasn't wrong.

I suppose she could argue that she'd meet the blue wall of silence if she went to the cops about another cop. her lawyer probably told her that too.

mikemac1

ca-ching
He works the city and there is money to be made and a hungry lawyer looking for a settlement


Or she could have just gone to his sergeant or some sort of police ombudsman and he'd get a warning. It's not a big deal
But there's no money in doing that

mackg

RichieC wrote: »

I suppose she could argue that she'd meet the blue wall of silence if she went to the cops about another cop. her lawyer probably told her that too.

Surely there is someone outside of the police force who deal with this kind of thing?

metaoblivia

Liam Byrne wrote: »

If he'd promised to drop the ticket if she went out with him it would be an abuse of power along the lines of what she's claiming. He didn't.

A slap on the wrist is in order if he used the database to find her address, though.

He got off lucky by her not agreeing.

That's exactly what I was getting at. Using the database was an abuse of power which should result in a reprimand, nothing more, nothing less.

Ray Palmer

Gross misuse of access to data and defintely creepy.

Government employee using government data to track you down for personal interest.

Big payout and rightly so.

wes

Data protection is getting to be a pretty major issues for a lot of people, and so I can understand why they Woman is sueing the guy, which while it is a bit extreme, it probably freaked her out a great deal, hence the reaction.

sdanseo

Data protection laws in the US are much less stringent than here, however.

bodhrandude

He must have been watching the movie Bridesmaids.

Thoie

I wouldn't sue, but I'd want him fired. It's a terrible thing to do. If he had asked her out after issuing the ticket, it'd still be a bit odd, but dealable with. Turning up outside my house and leaving a note like that is too disturbing.

No matter what kind of reprimand he'd get at work, he'd still have access to the data.

that is creepy as hell i dont care what he looks like

Dudess

I reckon a person would get fired for that here. Law-suit is going to far IMO though.

ShadowHearth

If I would live in America I would just turn gay... Woman are flipping crazy out there...

superstoner90

Chuck Stone wrote: »

What's she suing for?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKKHSAE1gIs

phasers

meet-cute?


Ew.

Motorist

I know of two Gardai who did this to friends of mine when their house was broken into. The gardai called around again the next day for tea and then started texting them.

TheZohanS

Absolute abuse of power, can't blame her for suing tbh, creepy stalker.

Motorist

TheZohan wrote: »

Absolute abuse of power, can't blame her for suing tbh, creepy stalker.

I think when suing there are legitimate cases of negligence/damage and then there are cases of someone wanting to make a quick buck. IMO, this case falls into the latter category.

LighterGuy

From reading the thread title i said to myself "has to be america" ... wasnt let down.
Sounds like he was chancing his arm & Sounds like she is blowing things out to get some money. Throw the case outta court.

Yakult

America and its ridiculously retarded suing culture. :rolleyes:

Land of opportunity alright, to sue.

Motorist

Yakult wrote: »

America and its ridiculously retarded suing culture. :rolleyes:

Land of opportunity alright, to sue.

Hate to say it but think we're as bad if not worse in this country. Had an accident at work last year, was injured but fine after a day. Had at least 10 people say to me was I not going to try to "put in a claim". I have 15 work colleagues - 2 of them have sued the employer in the last 5 years over completely bogus stuff.

LighterGuy

Motorist wrote: »

Hate to say it but think we're as bad if not worse in this country. Had an accident at work last year, was injured but fine after a day. Had at least 10 people say to me was not going to try to "put in a claim". I have 15 work colleagues - 2 of them have sued the employer in the last 5 years over completely bogus stuff.

We live in a compensation driven society alright. If anything happens, even if they are not injured ... "COMPO!!!!!"

But any time I hear of someone getting compensation I honestly think to myself its probably BS. Sad thing is, with that menality I would be right more times than wrong.

My name is URL

Some of the shite posted here is unreal. The guy abused his position and authority by attempting to use official and confidential records for his own gain. So what if she's taking legal action over that?

RichieC

We deffo have a compo culture here as well and it's a little unfair to judge the yanks. they're just us a few years down the line.

Motorist

My name is URL wrote: »

Some of the shite posted here is unreal. The guy abused his position and authority by attempting to use official and confidential records for his own gain. So what if she's taking legal action over that?

All fair enough, he shouldn't have done that. Though I think people see the BS when they see the anxiety/stress/panic/shock this incident caused.

amacca

My name is URL wrote: »

Some of the shite posted here is unreal. The guy abused his position and authority by attempting to use official and confidential records for his own gain. So what if she's taking legal action over that?

ah ffs he was just asking her out albeit in a retarded way

myself after getting those details from the database I would then have "bumped" into her "accidentally" and then sued for compensation for injuries sustained by her callous lack of due regard and caution while walking and her overly pointy knees..........her fear of a hefty payout would convince her to have a number of "romantic" mildly amusing encounters with me in typical rom com stuttering Hugh Grantish style before I dumped her for the intially plain looking waitress who turns out to be a stunner secret author with a Phd and an insatiable reciprocated desire with only mild alcoholism very slightly responsible (which I can cure her of) to enjoy life to its fullest etc etc

romantic candlelit balloon rides over Paris and so on and so forth.....shure it would be great altogether!

My name is URL

Motorist wrote: »

All fair enough, he shouldn't have done that. Though I think people see the BS when they see the anxiety/stress/panic/shock this incident caused.

Those things are very much subjective though. All we have to go by are the bones of what happened. It'll be up to a judge/jury relying on expert opinion to decide whether or not she actually suffered any sort of harm or anguish.

There's definitely a lot to be said about compo culture, but using this particular case to paint a picture of it is too simplistic.

mattjack

Motorist wrote: »

I know of two Gardai who did this to friends of mine when their house was broken into. The gardai called around again the next day for tea and then started texting them.

The "old" Gardai breaking into your house trick again.

Motorist

My name is URL wrote: »

Those things are very much subjective though. All we have to go by are the bones of what happened. It'll be up to a judge/jury relying on expert opinion to decide whether or not she actually suffered any sort of harm or anguish.

There's definitely a lot to be said about compo culture, but using this particular case to paint a picture of it is too simplistic.

Or maybe she's just playing for a settlement - a nice 5 or 6 figure sum.

I agree this is not a poster case for frivolous lawsuits, but I do think on the surface it falls into that category.

cassid

A bit creepy to be honest. But sometimes someone might get caught up in the moment and do something total out of character. He should be disciplined and apologise but suing is a little too far IMO.

whatdoicare

If it was me I'd be terrified - here we have a man in a position of power, who knows where she lives, what car she drives and all her personal business, wanting something from her - if she complains to someone he might get fired etc but it still won't erase the fact that that man still knows where she lives and her personal situation.

It might have seemed innocent from his perspective but maybe not - who knows what was going through his head, he doesn't seem to understand boundries, that's for sure.

BASHIR

And they say chivalry is dead eh!!!

Ray Palmer

Yakult wrote: »

America and its ridiculously retarded suing culture. :rolleyes:

Land of opportunity alright, to sue.

People really don't get the country they live in when they make statements like that. Ireland has terrible reputation for suing much worse than the US. In ireland people sue for injuries in public parks due to tripping over branches, wouldn't be entertained in the US.
Our compensation culture is one of the reasons insurance is so high in this country. We payout more often and for much more than most countries.

We are much more likely to sue and bring things to court than the US

Biggins

Liam Byrne wrote: »

If he'd promised to drop the ticket if she went out with him it would be an abuse of power along the lines of what she's claiming. He didn't.

A slap on the wrist is in order if he used the database to find her address, though.

He got off lucky by her not agreeing.

Sums it up nicely for me too.

MagicSean

I don't understand why he would have needed to search the database. Surely he already had her details from when he stopped her.

Dude111

Micky Dolenz wrote:

Abuse of power.

Indeed an abuse of power!!!!


He was basically MOCKING HER (making fun of her that he cost her that $$$) - IF HE WAS REALLY SORRY HE WOULD HAVE GIVEN HER THE $132 BACK!!

pickarooney

Suing is probably the only course of action that would have an impact. I can't help thinking any complaints would be summarily dismissed. Guy was a spaz but I hope she's only looking for a token sum to make a statement.

Biggins

MagicSean wrote: »

I don't understand why he would have needed to search the database. Surely he already had her details from when he stopped her.

Maybe he wanted to further check out if she was single for sure? Or had any additional crimes on record?
Etc...