The Ohio case started when a call came to the police about a gunpoint complaint during a road dispute. As per the complainant, the other car drove past her “kind of crazy” way, hence she started confronting the people inside. However, once more information is asked from her, it becomes clear that she cannot fully vouch for there being a gun since it was “dark” outside and she just “thought it was a gun.”
She said, “I can’t verify that it was a gun, but it looked like a gun.”
— Woman driver (to Ohio officer), Youtube
Treating the report with the urgency of a live gun threat, Ohio officers intercepted and stopped both vehicles directly in the middle of the road. Officers quickly conducted a high-risk search of the accused truck. Instead of a hidden firearm, the officers discovered that the van was occupied entirely by an elderly driver, approximately 80 years old, and a group of young kids being driven home from a church event. The oldest child passenger was only around 12-years-old.
The police officer said, “You guys are literally getting into a road rage. I’m coming down the street. You guys are blowing red lights. And you’re following a van — a guy and eight church kids.”
— Ohio police officer, Youtube
Further stating, “And he didn’t have a gun cuz we looked.”
— Ohio police officer, Youtube
As the attention of the officers turned to the reporting party, it all fell apart quickly. The police determined that the lady and the passenger had been drinking and had purposely run numerous red lights chasing after the van. Moreover, it was found out that there were several registration issues with her car.
The vehicle belonged to some other person, and it also had mismatched plates, which did not coincide with what the DMV had on record for that car. Even though she claimed that an ex-boyfriend who was from Cleveland had taken her original plates and put on others, her original plates were actually found in the rear of the car. The bodycam footage shows the officer saying:
“So, you have the correct plates in the car, and instead of putting them on, whoever put them on, put them on wrong.”
— Ohio police officer, Youtube
Officers promptly instructed the car to be towed away. The woman continuously protested the towing of the car and failed to surrender the keys to the car. While conducting a routine legal search of the car before towing the car away, open bottles of wine and Patron tequila were found.
The woman denied ownership of the alcohol and repeatedly insisted she had not consented to a search. Officers clarified that a lawful tow inventory does not require consent, making her objections legally moot. Cops said the woman had been consuming the open containers, which they believe explained her escalating and erratic behavior throughout the encounter.
The woman was ultimately charged with disorderly conduct, driving under a suspended license, and operating a vehicle with invalid registration and plates.
“You’re under arrest for having open containers. They’re in the car that you were operating.”
— Ohio police officer, Youtube
“You know that you guys didn’t get a gun pointed on you today. Is that correct? Do you understand that, right? There’s no gun in that car.”
— Ohio police officer, Youtube
