I live in Maryland. I will try to be as detailed as possible. Here is the answer to one question i know will be asked. I did not know my license was suspended. I had taken care of the violations in question. The officer informed me that the District court does not communicate with the MVA. Please no flaming on this post. I would like serious advice only as i feel at a loss.
I was driving to work on 11/15/03, from Essex, MD to Silver Spring, MD. I was pulled over at 12:45 pm in Montgomery County, by the county police. There was one female Caucasian officer dressed in what seemed to be a county uniform, and a male African American officer dressed in sweat pants and a sweat shirt. They were driving a marked county vehicle. I inquired as to why I was stop, because I had not broken a traffic law that I knew of, I had come to a complete stop at the stop sign and was not speeding. They told me they pulled me over for having tinted windows. I was cooperative and gave them the info I had at my disposal. Upon running my plates and license they asked me to step out of the vehicle. At this time a second cruiser arrived. I had no outstanding warrants or a prior record. She informed me that my license was suspended, and as she was doing so she started to handcuff me. She informed me that it was an encarcerable offense and that if I was cooperative and respectful as I had been so far she would not take me to jail. She then searched me, as her partner searched my vehicle. I was never mirandised or asked to search my vehicle. The 2 other officers also searched me. I asked why 4 officers were needed, on a tinted window stop and I was told to keep quiet and stop being disrespectful or they would take me to jail. I was told that I looked suspicious and when I questioned how they said that they did not know me from "granny smith" or "John Malvo", and that Ted Bundy was a nice guy, that I may be a threat and that is why I was handcuffed and was being detained. She informed me that Malvo had been pulled over 12 times prior to being arrested. I informed her I was no threat and that I was neither of the named convicts and famous killers and I was simply one block away from work. She then informed me that I would not be driving there that I would have to walk, and said that she would be towing my vehicle also and that I could pick it up in about 30 minutes from the impound lot with proper ID and a valid drivers license. After finding no weapons, drugs, paraphernalia of the sort they asked me to turn over my keys and to go to work, and to take any items I needed from the vehicle. I called my mother to come get the car because it was in her name and I did need someone with a valid license since mine was confiscated. The car was towed and I had to walk to work. I was so emotionally shaken up that I broke down in tears from my odd treatment and the disappointment of my day so far, and my misfortune. I was dismissed to go home from work. I could not work in that state of mind. I contacted the towing company and they said that they were closed and that I could not get my vehicle till maybe Monday. If I called back on Sunday someone may be there to allow me to pick it up. We picked it up around 11 am on Sunday 11/16/03. The car had been vandalized and looted of all valuables. My front console was ripped up, my seat covers were missing, small items were missing, and the head unit to my stereo and sub woofer had been taken. When asked as to what happened they said they did not know and that they were not responsible. I called the Montgomery traffic department to file a claim and there was no one there. They only work on weekdays apparently. Somehow I feel as if I got the raw end of this as I was detained, issued a citation and a court date, had to pay $105 dollars for towing and impoundment, and while impounded on a lot selected by that police department, had my car vandalized and looted. I now have to fix it in order to drive it and I lost easily between $500-$1000 out of the whole ordeal. It was on the lot for less then 24 hrs and when we spoke to a lot supervisor he said that there was a rash of thefts on that lot and that I had to take it up with my insurance. I find it very weird and ironic that a police impound lot that is barriered off in the middle of no where has these issues and has not taken care of it.
My question is this, where my rights violated as I feel they were and is there something wrong with how badly this whole situation wound up?
I do not contest the suspension, i was in the wrong, and should have followed through with the MVA to make sure that i was free and clear. i have had the same tinted windows for 5 years and been pulled over previously for routine speeding tickets daytime and nighttime by county cops and state troopers and never questioned about it within that 5 year span. Iv ehad tinted windows as long as i have owned a vehicle.
The officers also never tested the windows for light transmission. They were polarized tinted windows because im a little sensitive to bright lights and to diminish the heat from the sun. Not for astetics like most people have them for. They also allow for near perfect visibilty when approaching my vehicle from the point that an officer does, that im sure of. also my Vehicle is a 1999 chevy tracker. the rear windows were not tinted, just driverside and passenger side and a small strip across the top of the windsheild. I hope that is sufficient info. I apologize if it was too long.
I was driving to work on 11/15/03, from Essex, MD to Silver Spring, MD. I was pulled over at 12:45 pm in Montgomery County, by the county police. There was one female Caucasian officer dressed in what seemed to be a county uniform, and a male African American officer dressed in sweat pants and a sweat shirt. They were driving a marked county vehicle. I inquired as to why I was stop, because I had not broken a traffic law that I knew of, I had come to a complete stop at the stop sign and was not speeding. They told me they pulled me over for having tinted windows. I was cooperative and gave them the info I had at my disposal. Upon running my plates and license they asked me to step out of the vehicle. At this time a second cruiser arrived. I had no outstanding warrants or a prior record. She informed me that my license was suspended, and as she was doing so she started to handcuff me. She informed me that it was an encarcerable offense and that if I was cooperative and respectful as I had been so far she would not take me to jail. She then searched me, as her partner searched my vehicle. I was never mirandised or asked to search my vehicle. The 2 other officers also searched me. I asked why 4 officers were needed, on a tinted window stop and I was told to keep quiet and stop being disrespectful or they would take me to jail. I was told that I looked suspicious and when I questioned how they said that they did not know me from "granny smith" or "John Malvo", and that Ted Bundy was a nice guy, that I may be a threat and that is why I was handcuffed and was being detained. She informed me that Malvo had been pulled over 12 times prior to being arrested. I informed her I was no threat and that I was neither of the named convicts and famous killers and I was simply one block away from work. She then informed me that I would not be driving there that I would have to walk, and said that she would be towing my vehicle also and that I could pick it up in about 30 minutes from the impound lot with proper ID and a valid drivers license. After finding no weapons, drugs, paraphernalia of the sort they asked me to turn over my keys and to go to work, and to take any items I needed from the vehicle. I called my mother to come get the car because it was in her name and I did need someone with a valid license since mine was confiscated. The car was towed and I had to walk to work. I was so emotionally shaken up that I broke down in tears from my odd treatment and the disappointment of my day so far, and my misfortune. I was dismissed to go home from work. I could not work in that state of mind. I contacted the towing company and they said that they were closed and that I could not get my vehicle till maybe Monday. If I called back on Sunday someone may be there to allow me to pick it up. We picked it up around 11 am on Sunday 11/16/03. The car had been vandalized and looted of all valuables. My front console was ripped up, my seat covers were missing, small items were missing, and the head unit to my stereo and sub woofer had been taken. When asked as to what happened they said they did not know and that they were not responsible. I called the Montgomery traffic department to file a claim and there was no one there. They only work on weekdays apparently. Somehow I feel as if I got the raw end of this as I was detained, issued a citation and a court date, had to pay $105 dollars for towing and impoundment, and while impounded on a lot selected by that police department, had my car vandalized and looted. I now have to fix it in order to drive it and I lost easily between $500-$1000 out of the whole ordeal. It was on the lot for less then 24 hrs and when we spoke to a lot supervisor he said that there was a rash of thefts on that lot and that I had to take it up with my insurance. I find it very weird and ironic that a police impound lot that is barriered off in the middle of no where has these issues and has not taken care of it.
My question is this, where my rights violated as I feel they were and is there something wrong with how badly this whole situation wound up?
I do not contest the suspension, i was in the wrong, and should have followed through with the MVA to make sure that i was free and clear. i have had the same tinted windows for 5 years and been pulled over previously for routine speeding tickets daytime and nighttime by county cops and state troopers and never questioned about it within that 5 year span. Iv ehad tinted windows as long as i have owned a vehicle.
The officers also never tested the windows for light transmission. They were polarized tinted windows because im a little sensitive to bright lights and to diminish the heat from the sun. Not for astetics like most people have them for. They also allow for near perfect visibilty when approaching my vehicle from the point that an officer does, that im sure of. also my Vehicle is a 1999 chevy tracker. the rear windows were not tinted, just driverside and passenger side and a small strip across the top of the windsheild. I hope that is sufficient info. I apologize if it was too long.
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