Is doing donuts in a parking lot a felony criminal activity? Apparently so to Wayne County New York police officers. They arrested a father in front of his son and booked him on felony charges.
Joe Graham of Ontario, New York bought a 1968 Chevrolet Camaro as a way to connect with his 14-year-old son. He, like many fathers with boys that age, was probably looking for a way to bond with his son. Getting the bond started off in style, he took his son to an abandoned parking lot to do some donuts. In the span of about 15 seconds, Graham did two donuts and left some tire marks. Innocent enough, right? Nope.
A Wayne County deputy heard the commotion and promptly handcuffed Graham in front of his son. He then proceeded to book him on felony charges, impounded the car and held him in jail for about 2 hours.
How come the deputy was so close? Graham did his donuts outside an innocuous white building which is a police substation. He says he didn’t know what the building was.
“We were just pulling out of the lot and the cops rushed over to the car and proceeded to arrest me,” Graham said to the local ABC affiliate, 13 WHAM. Nickname “Whammy” is unconfirmed.
Graham says he offered to pay for the damage to the freshly painted yellow lines, but that wasn’t enough. The police officials claim he put his son’s safety in jeopardy.
What do you think? Police overreach or a serious safety issue?
Speaking of the son, Graham wasn’t able to make sure he had a ride home and literally had no idea what happened to him while he was being held for those two hours.
Comments
“We are an endangered species, you and I. We lovers of speed. We devotees of power, performance and noise.
There’s hardly a place out here for us anymore, not amongst all the commuters and congestion. Not in this growing age of safety and restraint, where practicality trumps adrenalin. Where the ratio of miles to the gallon is championed over horsepower to the weight.
The evidence is everywhere. You and I are being squeezed out, pushed aside and hunted down at every hairpin turn.”…and empty parking lot.
“From a better vanished time”,
Red Barchetta
“My uncle has a country place
That no one knows about
He says it used to be a farm
Before the Motor Law”
“I fire up the willing engine
Responding with a roar
Tires spitting gravel
I commit my weekly crime”
The true crime is law enforcements transition form a public service to a revenue source (business)
for your pleasure:
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/rush/redbarchetta.html
Rush said it right! But if this was the case where I live, my Dad would be serving a life sentence. Lol The old man rips that F-150 like its a Camaro.
Let’s see how backwards the laws of society are. As stupid states like California are working to de-criminalize hardcore drug offenses as well as burglaries to misdemeanors that are currently felonies. A father and son having fun in their new toy has now forever tarnished a mans record in the equally stupid state of New York. I wonder if the police officers even asked the son if he was having fun or if he believed his life was in danger.
As a big supporter of Law Enforcement Officer’s, I understand they have a job that can be extremely stressful at times. However, this story really disappoints me as this was not one of those times and could have been handled much more gracefully.
I have no issue with realigning existing crimes to more reasonable levels, as in the 80’s and 90’s EVERYTHING was turned into a felony in order to appease people and appear tough on crime.
Then when these crimes are reduced and the thieving drug addicts or rapists come to you and violate your home, business, life or person, and walk away with a misdemeanor, I think you would be singing a different tune. For these types of criminal, there should be no reasonable level. They should be punished in the most severe way so as not to even think it would be a good idea to try it again. I hope no harm to ever come anyone’s way, but I fear it would be more prevalent should punishments for felony crimes against persons be reduced to the same as stealing a pack of gum.
As for someone smoking their tires and spinning a few donuts, what a dumb example for these officers to set to the son by arresting his father and hitting him with felony charges. This is the reason why the younger generations have no respect for authority, their parents, teachers and elders. They have no idea who to trust.
Making the man pay reparations for the property he damaged is fair. However, to charge him with any sort of crime, particularly a felony, is an an example of gross government stupidity and overreach.
I’ll agree with you on this one.
I’m a police officer, I would’ve given’ the dad a little talking to and then said”move over, let me show you how to do a real donut”!!!
Officer Royce is talking about the use of discretion, which every officer has. The purpose of law enforcement is to protect. If the lot is empty, the only persons there are the father and the son and the car, then who or what or you protecting? As a former peace officer I would have spoken with the man in a professional manner and requested the man and the son to try a venue where this type of driving is permitted such as a track or a more private lot, with the owner’s permission. Although tempted, I would not offer to show them how donuts are really done.
By arresting the father these officers displayed, beyond any reasonable doubt, a total lack of the ability to apply discretion to a given situation and a total absence of common sense. Unfortunately, today if you get pulled over by an officer of the law, it will not be a good encounter and you will walk away with less respect for the badge than you previously held. As time goes on you wind up losing all respect for those that wear the badge. Is that what we want? We may as well have robots patrolling our streets. Aha, you spit on the sidewalk, here’s the ticket! Oops, sorry I shot you, I thought the phone in your hand was a gun and I FEARED FOr MY LIFE! A bunch of crap! And remember, I’ve been there seen that, but haven’t done it. If anyone fears for their life so much and especially when they put on the badge, they have no business putting on the badge! The danger goes with the badge! It means you are alert and vigilant, but not to the point where you shoot and make up the story to fit the situation afterwards.
Over the top action by the police and a misuse of power, let alone authority. Laws should be based on common sense, not a Carte Blanche shield for power/authority/control freaks.
Judge Dredd on steroids… With the affect of a teenager, now fearing, and distrusting the badge of those who protect… Even the many, who are good officers.