I am writing about a terrible situation that I was put in last week due to an error WBOC made posting "closings" on Tuesday, March 18th.
On Tues, March 18th I had a court date for a traffic violation. As you know it snowed the day b/4 (Monday 3/17/14). I'm an early riser & my husband & I saw on the bottom of the screen for WBOC that District Court, Circuit Court and all Gov't offices were closed. It ran across the bottom for quite a while. I went upstairs and got ready for work... and off to work I went.
This past Friday (3/21/14) I went home for lunch. I got home for lunch & checked the mailbox & saw I had a letter from District Court. I opened it immediately to see when my court date had been rescheduled and to my SHOCK...it was a notice that a bench warrant had been issued for my arrest for failure to show up for my court date!! I called District Court were I spoke with a very rude young lady (who did admit WBOC had made an error). I then called the District Attorney's office & was told "go out to Sheriff's Dept on Naylor Mill Rd and they will get it straightened out" My husband & I jumped right into the car and headed over there where they promptly ARRESTED ME!! Hands behind the back...I was booked!
As you can imagine I cried almost the entire time. My mug shot (looks like I am a drug addict because I was so scared & devastated. I was handcuffed to walls...put in a holding cell (2 hrs) and then later released on my own recognizance. It was beyond comprehension what had just happened to me. I cried until I threw up many, many times. I do realize the Police were doing their job but REALLY???
All because WBOC had made a mistake (it was from Monday & they forgot to delete it on Tues morning...how would I know that??). Apparently they were contacted by someone in the Court System that they had made an error. WBOC never announced their mistake nor did they put the correction at the bottom of the screen...they just took it off...and that was only after I had left for work I have spoken with numerous people who saw the same post that morning. I have sent WBOC an email which they have not responded to as of yet.
I was also told by a local lawyer (who advertises on that station) that it would be a waste of time & money. I would be told I should have called the court! WHAT?? How on earth is a person suppose to know that it was in error?? I was stopped in November and my license had expired. That I am guilty of. At that time I WAS NOT arrested but given a ticket, told I had to show up in court...and then I was sent on my way. YES driving on expired license.
This error on WBOC's part put me through hell. I'm a 57 yr old Mother of 3 who has never been arrested and now I have a mug shot floating all around the internet for anyone to see. I WOULD NEVER HAVE MISSED MY COURT DATE IF IT WASN'T FOR THE MISTAKE OF SOMEONE AT WBOC WHO DID NOT CHECK THEIR POSTING! It is my feeling that when this error was discovered it should have been posted at the bottom of the screen, as well as, the Newscasters should have made an announcement.
It is my hope that after sending a letter to the Court System that they will at least expunge this from my records.
Not to mention this came on the heels of my husband being diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma.
Thank you for your time
Wahh! You should of called the courthouse. WBOC might of made a mistake but listening to most on here I didn't think anyone watched them anymore. You should of checked here instead.
ReplyDeleteDon't ever ASSUME anything when it comes to a legal situation. Live and learn.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised the Cops did not shoot you....they seem to do that allot now days with KING OBAMA running the system...
ReplyDeleteSowwy
ReplyDeleteSucks but it not the end of the world. You will most likely be able to look back at it in 5 years and enjoy a laugh. It's all in how you roll with the punches. Good luck with your case!
ReplyDeleteEven if WBOC had published a correction, by this authors's own admission she would not have seen it as she had already left for work.
ReplyDeleteSUE THEM.
ReplyDeleteIt is, to me, a good and valid excuse. The legal system needs to be able to recognize these situations and react, or act, accordingly. We need officials who have the ability to listen and handle different situations with the proper discretion. It is stupid to put this woman through the embarrassment for nothing. For no purpose.
ReplyDeleteI thought Mike L. did a news conference on this and how this
ReplyDeleteperp was taking off the streets, lol.
I agree with 1:35. Sue WBOC.
ReplyDeleteNever rely on WBOC for anything!
(Especially an accurate weather forecast)
There is more to the story than being told. First, driving on an expired license is a payable traffic citation not a must appear court date. Second a bench warrant would not be issued for your failure to appear. MVA would be notified and your license suspended. It sounds like you were charged with more than simply driving on an expired license!
ReplyDeleteone more reason that i do NOT watch WBOC news... as if i needed another reason
ReplyDeleteI agree with 1:43. I also saw that courts were closed that morning; even ranted a little that the courts were closed & schools were on time.
ReplyDeleteIgnorance is never a plausible excuse when breaking the law. The courts have an established "inclement weather line" for a reason. Unless you hear it from the source, you are at fault. News agencies all over the country make hundreds of mistakes every day unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteMa'am, I'm very sorry for your ordeal. Others are right that you should always check with whatever department you are dealing with and forget the media.
ReplyDeleteGet yourself an attorney to see about getting this matter expunged. Don't rely on your own letters to the court or the court itself.
As for WBOC, the attorney might be able to get your costs back for you, but more likely is not because the media, like the government, is pretty immune from stuff like this.
This isn't legal advice, just an old soul's. Handing it off to a well-respected attorney will help you deal with the legal matter while you attend your husband and your life.
Godspeed to you, and to all the nasty commenters on here, shame on you. This lady has enough to deal with, but you just wanted to dance at her misery. Sorry, sick people you are. Glad to not know you.
"Not to mention this came on the heels of my husband being diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma". I had heart surgery on that day too. Maybe you should mention it.
ReplyDelete1:43pm your comment was the only one that makes any sense. People are too willing to just brush something like this off.Someone in the district attorney's office should have had enough common sense to realize this was not your fault and taken care of the matter with you having to go thru all that hassle.WBOC owes you a public appology but again that would make common sense and common sense ain't common.
ReplyDeleteNow you know how a young African American Man feels in America today.
ReplyDeleteSounds ridiculous and one would think that one phone call by the WCSO could have straightened it out. That is unless there is more to the story
ReplyDeleteGet on all social networks and expose this also, bad publicity and dropping of sponsors is how to really hurt WBOC. Tell everyone you can, put a whole page ad in the Guide and call a lawyer, start a big lawsuit, and then hold a press conference!! The louder you scream and make a fuss the better, just look at the Trayvon Martin BS!
ReplyDeleteWe have the worst mainstream media -- on a per capita basis -- in the entire USA
ReplyDeleteYou know I feel sorry for this lady, I really do, but I, myself, have never ever depended on anyone else for information like what they scroll across the bottom of the screen. I call myself and make sure they are actually open or closed. This should be a lesson for this person too, do it yourself, do not depend on anyone else to get information out to you.
ReplyDeleteOne of the comments stated that the media makes mistakes , really now. The media (WBOC) is the worst source of truthful news in the area.
ReplyDeleteAnyway , I feel for ya , but never trust the news or the government , lesson learned!!
Am I right Annie?
This story had me until I remembered this day she is speaking of...I was at the YMCA early that morning and I personally heard Lacy Griffith apologizing for the mistake of running the closings from the day before and that they had fixed the problem and it was correct.....Lacy Griffith did apologize for WBOC's mistake!!! I heard it myself!! Ignorance is no excuse...call next time to be sure!
ReplyDeleteGood thing you didn't turn yourself in on a Friday--chances are you would have spent the weekend in jail--never turn yourself in on na Friday and never do what the people at the DA's office tells you to do-- they could care less --you should have consulted a Lawyer first--most will see you and have to put together a contract before they actually represent you..
ReplyDeleteNo Jack. The sheriffs office and the courts are completely separate entities. The sheriff cannot get the court to quash warrants. Only the judge can do that. The judge may do it at the request of the states attorney. But a fail to appear is a fail to appear in the eyes of the court until one convinces the judge the defendant will appear as ordered.
ReplyDeleteOnly trust news from SBY NEWS. The rest are not RELIABLE. I hope you learned your lesson girlie.
ReplyDeletehey 1:51, i too had an expired license just recently n nothing else..i got my days confused and contacted the courthouse the next day so i could fix my mistake..she said it was too late,a bench warrant was issued for me and recommended i come to courthouse as soon as possible to clear it up..but before i could get down there i heard knocks at my door,and was served a bench warrant..i too was handcuffed and driven to the district court in snow hill where i was released and issued a new court date in 30 minutes..i was never booked but yes,even if its just an expired license,a bench warrant will be issued..lesson learned
ReplyDeleteSucks to be an honest citizen these days...as for WBOC =we believe only communists...do yourself a big favor next time turn the channel and call their sponsers BOYCOTT WBOC ADVERTISERS AND DT TOO!!
ReplyDeleteThere is simply to much law enforcement these days and none of them use any common sense. The cops were writing tickets in Crisfield yesterday for having an inch of snow on the top of your car. It was supposed to be a major safety issue. It really feels like we are starting to live in a police state.
ReplyDeleteThat's because people with a license, tags and insurance will pay the ticket because otherwise their tag renewal/license will be flagged by MVA. Much easier targets and revenue source than the police actually addressing the crime/drugs in Crisfield.
ReplyDelete@4:28, Trusting only one source is a horrible idea; that's what got her in hot water in the first place.
ReplyDeleteOn important matters you should always verify with a second source.
4:28 Unless it I'd about the police chief.
ReplyDeleteThe best way to avoid this type of situation is to just have paid the ticket and get license renewed. If she got a ticket for expired license and it was expired, pay the fine and move on. The decisions to take it to court, relying on WBOC and missing the court date are the reasons for the bench warrant and arrest. While it was probably a traumatic/humbling experience, the reality is that life goes on and learn from your mistakes. Unless the author is applying for a high security clearance job or LEO position, it will never be an issue. If a 50+ year old person applied for a job with my business and actually was honest and disclosed this arrest, it would not be a reason to reject the applicant.
ReplyDeleteWhat would lee Stevens do
ReplyDeleteI agree 1:43 it absolutely is a valid excuse. The courts are the judiciary branch of the State of MD and state employees are even told to either go to the media or the state website employee section (twitter now also) to find out if they have to report to work during inclement weather.
ReplyDeleteThis lady should not have been put through. 1:43 is again correct. It's called discretion and judgment and that is a sign of good management.
I'm very sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis. Sending hugs and prayers your way.
The lady had a must apear in court order ti prove she renewed her liscence. U cant just pay the fine u dummies...
ReplyDeleteYour mug shot won't be on the internet unless you post it there.
ReplyDeleteRead 1:51 post.
ReplyDeleteJoe you have all these connections. Can you find out if a bench warrant is issued for a payable fine or did they fail to pay the fine, get issued a court date and failed to appear?
ReplyDelete"Now you know how a young African American Man feels in America today."
ReplyDeleteYou're joking, right? Are you at all familiar with the current 'Justice' Dept?
Ok really are you people that stupid????.... She got a ticket missed her court date.... I guess her cell phone wasn't working.... And blames BOC? It's her responsibility to call the court.... It's like the dog are your homework....she only has herself to blame. Typical she screwed up and blames everyone else.
ReplyDeleteWhy didn't the writer give us his name?
ReplyDeleteJust another from here that can't believe the rules apply to her because she 50 some years old, has kids and a job. Be responsible for your own actions.
ReplyDeleteLee Stevens for president.
ReplyDeleteI love how a few posts ago we don't have enough police and the city is running wild with criminals and now y'all cry police state. Get over it. You miss court, its a bench warrant. Simple as that.
ReplyDeleteThe Maryland Judiciary website has a page showing weather related delays and closings. That's the only place you can rely on for this information. Driving without a license is a must appear offense. If you fail to appear on a must appear, a bench warrant will issue. If you find yourself in this situation, contact an attorney immediately, and he or she will file a motion to quash the bench warrant immediately. This motion is usually ruled on within a day or two, and as long as a person is not intentionally ignoring the order to appear, a new court date will be set. Any criminal/serious traffic attorney has filed this motion many times.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry that this happened to you. I know you must have been distraught. Good luck to you and your husband.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone commenting here feel rightously indignant that this poor lady went through this, yet there are REAL criminals out there who need locked up.
ReplyDeleteREALLY??? This was motor vehicle related. How dare they handcuff and cage up someone for such a minor issue. Not a criminal offense, yet she was treated like a criminal.
My God, where do we live????
9:46
ReplyDeleteYou must be one of those educated come heres. How can you expect anyone else to not rely on what they see on TV?
10:51, it started as a MVA thing. Failure to appear is a criminal matter. 7:54, I think you missed the brothers point. Also, these menopausal women are serious risks for LEOs, you never know what the hell they are going to do next.
ReplyDeleteSo did you call the courthouse to confirm? No? Sounds like a big ol' case of "your fault" to me. How old are you anyway?
ReplyDelete9:13-Lee has more important things to do than run for president.
ReplyDeleteYou can't really blame WBOC is the court house gave them the wrong information. but the courthouse should definitely take care of this
ReplyDeleteIt's a good thing you didn't try to
ReplyDeleteleave without asking there permission or they might have shot you in the back.
Let's face it;some people are born victims.We all know at least one.Everyone is against them and nothing works out for them.From birth to death they get the tough breaks.Always in poor health and always having bad luck.Their lives cannot be turned around by anyone but themselves.I know because I've tried to help various individuals and it's a losing battle.They have to find their own way out.
ReplyDeleteI believe this is a valid excuse for not going. When all the closings are listed as current or up-to-date on the local "news" channel, the arresting officer should have taken that into account. This is traffic court, not an FTA for some nefarious crime. Increasing hardships for everyday citizens is no way to handle public affairs. And people wonder why all faith in the legal system is on a massive downward spiral. Best of luck to you in getting this fixed as promptly as possible.
ReplyDeleteWoW,
ReplyDeleteI really hate to say it, but my faith in local LE is falling down fast. Always picking on easy targets who care, much like the pealing paint / tall grass code police.
They completely surround an actual criminal and he simply vanishes into thin air. Middle aged mom has some piddly license issue and they chain her to a wall.
So I'm guessing she'll get a few yrs in prison, while actual criminals get a few days.
Confidence is low, and very disappointed the county would act this way.
I certainly hope WBOC is providing the very best lawyer they have. Or their closing so postings we all depende on are worthless and undependable
Wow. I feel bad for this lady. I didn't read her comment as anything other than words from a woman who was terrified for no reason other than the system was able to terrify her. They did acknowledge they knew the false closing notification was aired. They knew she wasn't just blowing them off.
ReplyDeleteThey really should have allowed her to come to the court house and reissue a new court date. If they had to carry out any procedures due to the bench warrant, they certainly didn't have to handcuff her or put her in jail for 2 hours. She wasn't trying to scam the system. She made an honest mistake by trusting what she saw on the tv. Does that really deserve sitting in jail for 2 hours?