Disregard of Traffic Control Device

I would like to know if any other Drivers have been Targeted by Law Enforcement in Caldwell Texas. Back in May on a Sunday Morning I was headed North on Route 36 and when we rolled in to the Town of Caldwell there appeared to be a Bike Festival of sorts going on. There were Motorcycles everywhere you looked and the Majority of them acting like fools. At the Intersection of Route 36 and Hiway 21W a Motorcycle Officer was holding the Red Light for a large group of Bikers that were headed back East on 21W. There were 4 cars in front of me and when the Cop released the Red Signal back to its cycle the 4 Cars in front of me proceeded on the Green. This put me in the first postion for the next cycle of the light. I am Driving a Volvo 780 with a 525 Cummins and a 13 speed pulling a Custom 53' Enclosed Car Hauler I have 3 Cars on and I am very light to say the least. In other words there is nothing to hold me back when the Green comes, there are many Bikes in the left lane. The light changes to green and I take off the light fast cycles to red. At this point you must ask yourself "stop in the middle of the Itersection or go through" I went through along with about 100 Motorcycles. Needless to say I was stopped by Sgt P Knight on his Police Bike who asked why I ran the signal and I went through the whole scenario with him again and again by the way he swears that he did not see any Motorcycle go through the Itersection with me and he was sitting on the Traffic Island to the left of myself and all of those Motorcycles. He issued a Citation to me for Disregard of a Traffic Control Device. I tried to reason with him as I have a spotless Driving Record and I felt as if this was beyond my Control. He simply asked if the light turned Red before I cleared the Intersection and I said yes and he said that makes you guilty. I asked him if I should have just stopped in the middle of the intersection and waiting for the light to cycle again and he said, " That would have been the proper thing to do however you would still receive a Citation for Obstructing the Lawful Flow of Traffic. So grasping for Straws I asked about all the Bikes that went through the Intersection with me He swore that not one of them moved and that maybe I was just tired and needed a break so I would be better able to safely operate. I told him I had just taken over from my Co Driver an hour prior in Hempstead, Tx. He stated, " The Video Camera on my Windscreen will clearly show that you ran the light by yourself there was no other Cars or Trucks that went throught that intersection with you and now you can just sign here". I asked to see the Video and he told me to bring a Subpeona with me to Court and I could view it all I wanted. I asked how much the fine was and he said I dont know the Fines I just issue the Citations you will need to call the Clerks Office for the information.

I called the Clerks Office the foolowing Morning and spoke to a young lady that did not have any information and stated I would have to call back on Thursday when the Lady that handles this would be back in the Office I told this one that I had on the phone that in accordance with the Citation I only had 10 days to request a jury trial or pay the fine and I really needed to talk to someone now. She simply restated that I would need to call back on Thursday and hung up the phone. I called back on Thursday and spoke with the Lady that had supposedly been gone and was informed that she had been in the Office all week and evidently I should have insisted that the other woman put her on the phone and being as I had already spoken to the Assistant about this matter, That Conversation would count as my first appearance andthere was nothing further she could do for me and that all my question would be answered by the Court on Friday June 4th at 10 AM. I tried to inquire about the amount of the fine and was told it would be addressed in Court on the 4th of June and just like the Assistant she hung up the Phone.

At this point I was in Reno Nv. at the Pilot and a long way from home at any rate. I picked up one of the magazines beside the Fuel Desk and when I opened it the very first thing I saw was the Ad about, "Got a Ticket You Didint Deserve" and I called Interstate Trucker at 800 33DRIVE talked to the rep and she asked for the Municipality, County, State where I received the Citation. I answered Caldwell in the County of Caldwell Texas and she stated, "I bet you disregarded a Traffic Control Device at the intersection of Route 36 and Hiway 21W and the Citation was issued by Sgt P Knight who does not know what the Citation Costs". Of course I said so you have heard of this place before and she told me that they have an Attorney in the Local Court at least 4 times a month with at least a dozen cases each time. I asked about the chance of beating it and she said that they would only reduce it to a Non Moving Violation and charge me the standard fine for the Citation $405.00 plus Court Costs and it would not show up on my MVR at all. Interstate Trucker Charged me $650.00 to handle this and appear in Court on my behalf and I would have to pay whatever the Court Costs are the Court Costs were $285.50. Now this morning I get the Paperwork in the mail from Interstate Trucker that says The Court has accepted my Plea and Reduced the Citation to a Non Moving Violation found me guilty of this Infraction and Placed me on 60 Days Misdemeanor Probation from the Date of Citation which was May 2nd and ending on July 3rd and that if I complete my Probation with no other Citations in the State of Texas this would not ever show up on my MVR however the 60 Day Probation will become a permanent part of my now Criminal History Report

So with all of this being said I am trying to fin d at least 50 other Drivers that have been through a simliar situation in Caldwell Texas so that OOIDA will take it on as a Class Action Lawsuit. I spoke with OOIDA about this just today and they said that if I had 50 people that would join the cause they could get it into Court as a Class Action Suit under the Cluase of Unfair Targeted Enforcement so if there is anyone else that has been in this type of Situation in Caldwell Tx you can Contact me through this Forum. Thanks for taking the time to read this lengthy post and I welcome any and all advice or constructive criticism.