MSP Investigates Their Own Again

[XLFD]

A two car vehicle accident was reported by the MCP this afternoon

AMBER TOWNSHIP — A Michigan State Police trooper was involved in a two vehicle crash on US 10-31 between Stiles and Quarterline roads Friday afternoon. The vehicle occurred about 1:30 p.m. and involved a MSP Ford Interceptor and a Ford Focus. The 55-year-old male driver of the Ford Focus, said he was driving east on US 10-31 and had entered the inner lane because he was going to be turning at Root’s Tire and Service, near the intersection of Quarterline Road. He said the state trooper was in front of him and suddenly slammed on his brake and appeared that he was going to make a U-turn. A witness to the crash said that it was accurate that the trooper appeared that he was going to be making a U-turn. The driver of the Focus was issued a citation.

No one was injured from the crash, which is being investigated by the MSP Hart Post. No other information was available.

http://www.masoncountypress.com/2016/06/17/trooper-involved-in-us-1...

Also according to the MCP, the Mason County Sheriff (MCSO) was never notified of the accident to launch a neutral investigation into the crash, only hearing of the accident themselves through incidental radio contact. 

One of the respondents to the MCP article, Sammi Saints further noted:  "I saw the accident and the state trooper hit the focus, the state trooper was at fault and it was state troopers that came and issued the ticket where really the sheriff should have been called to investigate and issue any tickets if needed. There were at least four trooper cars there by the end, blue covering for there own."

A look at the picture makes this fairly self-evident.  The damage to the focus is on the front passenger side, which leads one to believe that the car was in the left turn lane, when the MSP trooper decided to make a U-turn around this vehicle, but failed.  How unsurprising it is that the MSP would not have another agency investigate their driver's apparent lack of safe driving. 

Their trooper, James Luttrull, shot dead  a retired schoolteacher in his own home near the witching hour on a blustery winter night, after all, where his dash cam revealed him driving nearly 80 miles per hour through Custer and Scottville in blizzard conditions just to check up on a phone call.  After his joyride he eavesdropped outside of the windows at the house, barged into his residence, then shot the man without warning.  That tale of the Highway patrol here.

The state police investigated that one too and said it was somehow Marble's fault.  Here they fortunately just damaged someone's car, but had the audacity to ticket the one seemingly doing a totally safe left turn.  You shouldn't  have to trust or support any police agency that acts that way.

[John Doe Jr]

Let's not forget the awards given for the MURDER of Mr. Marble!

The drunk Trooper Sammy? His ORV?

There is zero accountability in law enforcement. Nobody should respect,trust, or fund them.

Deplorable people hiding behind a badge.

They are nothing but wanna be heroes who insult the real heroes.

[XLFD]

I hate to make sweeping generalizations about the MSP or any law enforcement agency, but you almost have to when you look at the way they have handled things in a multitude of local incidents.  If an officer messes up, they get the full support of the agency, while they prosecute the real victims.  The same is happening here, and none of them are courageous enough to actually play the hero and publicly admit that mistakes were made by the LEO and enforce the power of law on them.   

[XLFD]

An additional note on a related topic.  In the Wednesday COLDNews newspaper, they related that a man at the county commissioner meeting had made a comment for more policing on US 10.  Instead of their paraphrased rendition which highlighted and gave a favorable spin to the suggestion I include the proposed meeting minutes account:

• Richard Quinn, Amber Township, addressed concerns regarding issues on US 10 corridor and feels
the need to have more policing of this section of highway in Mason County. He indicated that it was
impossible to make a left hand turn onto US 10, he is frustrated with the fact that people are not using the left
lane correctly, and that there is not enough law enforcement to help monitor this area. He noted that the
Sheriff has requested more staff to cover this section, and that when there are tickets issued, the Judge throws
them out. He would like more deputies on the road.

People like Mr. Quinn apparently think that a pressing problem along the US 10 corridor is people using the left lane when they are not in the process of passing, but I don't see that as an issue.  If everyone kept to the right, it's irrefutable that traffic overall would slow, and those who make a left turn eventually would have to cross two lanes just to do so.  Someone taking their time turning into the Shell station or even McDonald's heading eastbound conceivably could block up traffic back behind the PM Hwy intersection.  Add a lot of police stops for the subjective 'improper use of the left lane', and traffic flow and safety further lessens. 

I can empathize with Mr. Quinn about people who get in the left lane preparatory to making a left turn, and reduce speed dramatically before they get into the left turn lane.  But additional police patrols will only make the situations worse (consider at least four ways traffic flow and safety are reduced with overpatrolling, while nothing positive is added), and the subjective nature of the 'offense' makes it difficult to uphold in court, as noted. 

[stump]

I got pulled over by the sheriff dept. for driving in the left lane. I was traveling west out of Scottvile when I spotted a deer on the right side of the road. I pulled into the left lane and didn't return to the right until I seen a car driving in the left lane coming up behind me . Yep, it was the police and he pulled me over , gave me a speech on proper 5 lane highway driving which I didn't know about. You must stay to the right except to pass or turn. Since then, I have seen many law enforcement vehicles traveling in the left lane. They must just enforce the law, not follow it

[XLFD]

Perhaps you can paraphrase that lesson from the MCSO in a later post, stump.  The governing law concerning proper driving is found in the sections of MCL 257.634 in a way that has different meanings to different people, while stating plainly:  "Upon a roadway having 2 or more lanes for travel in 1 direction, the driver of a vehicle shall drive the vehicle in the extreme right-hand lane available for travel except as otherwise provided in this section. However, the driver of a vehicle may drive the vehicle in any lane lawfully available to traffic moving in the same direction of travel when the lanes are occupied by vehicles moving in substantially continuous lanes of traffic and in any left-hand lane lawfully available to traffic moving in the same direction of travel for a reasonable distance before making a left turn."

Many people, including police and people like Mr. Quinn, key in on the first part without regard to the second.  In the US 10 corridor, the vehicles typically move in substantially continuous lanes of traffic , because this is what maximizes traffic flow and safety for that area.  For example, if you are heading east around lunchtime with a destination a few miles out of town, it would be foolish to travel in the right lane between McDonald's and Wendy's.  The same hazard is present between Meijer's and Wal-Mart on the way into Ludington.  Chances are you will be held up a couple of times.

[Willy]

Also it's much safer to travel in the left lane of a roadway that has many driveways where traffic continually flows in and out of. The less traffic in the right lane means safer egress on and off the roadway. That cop that stopped stump was just being a jack-ass. He wanted to show everyone that he's the boss. His attitude and actions are some of the reasons why people look at police as agitators instead of someone who helps people.

[stump]

I like driving in the left lane because I usually drive just a tiny bit faster than the speed limit,I did it this weekend going to the casino on 10 , Did it today twice going to Scottville. Going to Scottvile agin tomorrow , maybe I should move there, I do agree that certain times and locations a person must drive in the lane that will not cause a backup in traffic flow.