Following Too Closely Ticket

In May I received this ticket and after explaining to the Casa Grande, AZ DPS cop what actually he still refused to listen to what really happened. I was heading east just past Wild Horse Pass on I10 when a Food City truck who was just ahead of me and I encountered a p/u pulling a camper. Food City first passed then I and after the passing the camper flashed his lights to me come over. Shortly after that Food City slowed as he spotted the DPS in the median so instead of hitting my brakes I backed off the throttle, the cop said he timed our space with a stop watch and I was 2.02 seconds behind FC. He started following and about 9 miles later he pulled me over and issued the citation. In Casa Grande Court my attorney attempted a plea bargain with him but he refused. I watched 4 other cases ahead of mine and all were the same charge and same cop. (popular item on the menu) Mine came up and my attorney argued about the statute being reasonable and prudent and never does it state what that distance should be in seconds. He asked if the stop watch was his own or dept. issued? cop answered his own. He asked if it was calibrated? answer was no. He asked how he goes about issuing such a ticket and answered gets an initial stop watch reading and then follows and gets a second with the shadow method. Attorney asked him how far he was behind me when he got the second reading? cop answered 600 yards! I testified to my experience of 28 years and not having a ticket in a commercial for 20 years. I also stated we practice the Smith System where I work and use a 4 - 7 second following rule.
Attorney asked the judge to dismiss the case as there is no way he could measure the following space at 600 yards behind me.
Judge Valdez said he would take it under advisement. The answer came about 4 days later- Guilty. I asked my attorney about and appeal and he said we have to prove that my rights were violated in order to be successful. He said its not about the Judge making a bad decision. I have been so pissed about this as my record speaks for itself after 28 years and its not in my character. I used Interstate Truckers referral at a cost of 450.00 and would not recommend that in this court as the Judge doesn't want to upset the his free meal. I recommend doing it yourself in this court and hope that the cop forgets or gets sick or..........
This is a kangaroo court and these ######## don't realize or care how this screws up future opportunities. This is the kind of ticket given to someone after they rear end someone.

 

Thanks, I just need to vent and let everyone passing through here better hit the brakes when you see a Donut brain on I 10 Casa Grande area. If you have a governed rig better hit the passing lane way early so you don't follow too close. Think about what all the 4 wheelers will do then (pass on the right). Forgot to mention I was going 65mph in a 75mph zone.