Torch Exclusive: MSP Trooper Seymour Blew .14 BAC at Traffic Stop, Sister Unlawfully Detained, Brutalized

[XLFD]

Michigan State Trooper Sammy Sidney Seymour who was driving his sister home from the bar early in the morning of January 17, 2015 initially refused a 'Breathalyzer' (PBT) test, but about a half hour later consented and clocked in at .14 BAC, almost twice the legal limit of impaired driving in Michigan. 

Seymour had initially been seen coming from the parking area in front of the Alley Bar by Ludington Police Department (LPD) Officer Steve Wietrzykowski, who saw him drive north a block on South James Street, then headed east on Filer St without any headlights on.  Wietrzykowski then saw the red VW Jetta stop in the middle of the street, before turning from Harrison to Loomis heading past the courthouse, with lights.  Before any lights were activated by the LPD officer, the car turned up Delia heading south, and stopped. 

Behind the wheel was off-duty MSP Trooper Seymour, with his sister, Kimberly Septrion in the back seat, and a young woman named Tracy Smith in the passenger's seat.  Smith self-reportedly had been along to 'babysit' Septrion at the bar, but like her traveling companions, had a few that night.  Officer Wietrzykowski smelled a 'very strong odor of intoxicants', including an open Busch beer by the driver.  in short order Seymour was taken from the Jetta to the back of the LPD SUV. 

Less than a minute later, with Wietrzykowski's formal arrest of Seymour occurring after his refusal to take tests, his sister got out of the Jetta on her own initiative and went back to the LPD vehicle just after Wietrzykowski came back to check out the open beverage and other indicators.

Reportedly, Sheriff Deputy Fort shows up shortly after the LPD officer tries to resume the investigation of Seymour, but is being interfered with by Septrion.  Wietrzykowski reports:

This part of the report is troubling, and is basically backed up by LPD Officer Chad Skiba's report:

Skiba uses the term 'officers' physically dealing with a female when he reports on what he sees at first, and yet his in-car video does not activate until after 2:30 AM, three minutes after Ms. Septrion is whisked away by Deputy Fort to the jail as seen below (the moving car in the street):

The first image from Skiba's in-car camera starts after all the action with Septrion is done, and Smith is rounded up and she apparently accepts a ride home voluntarily from Officer Skiba:

 

The absence of footage from the encounter with Septrion is troubling with the way the reports are written.  As a back seat passenger, Septrion was under no threat of arrest for anything.  Wietrzykowski seems to indicate that she was interfering with an investigation, but her proximity to the patrol car seems to be the main problem noted, and the distorted audio does not indicate she was yelling outside the original patrol car, yet he does not indicate he was outside with Deputy Fort trying to control her, as Skiba's report indicates. 

There is no reason stated by any officer why she needed to be put voluntarily in the back of the deputy's car.  She was never declared under arrest, never detained for the purpose of questioning, never given any probable cause of why she should be locked up in the back of a vehicle.  There are threats of arrest by Wietrzykowski if she didn't stay away from the patrol car, which he admits Deputy Fort was successful in doing. 

Without any articulable reason for detention, they forcefully placed her in the back of the sheriff's car; drunk or not, Septrion had a reason to be upset and fight for her freedom that was taken from her.  The two charges against her, non-aggravated assault and obstructing police can only be claimed to have happened after her unlawful detention. 

But that's not all.  Unmentioned in the official reports so far is the fact that the officers admit taking Ms. Septrion down to the ground to handcuff her, where she struck the street's pavement with her face and chipped a tooth.  Look for the prosecutor to heap a lot of charges on Ms. Septrion when the real crime here was unlawful imprisonment by the sheriff's office of Mason County and the LPD acting in concert.  These two entities acting in concert to take a guiltless person down in the middle of the street just like they did the day they did the same to Joe McAdam.  But they spared the tasers for the lady.

The City and County will once again get sued because their officers just don't want to use their training.  But kudos and commendation should be placed on LPD Officer Wietrzykowski, who did the most impartial traffic stop I've ever seen a LPD officer do, and fairly report on what one might expect of a cornered rat named Sammy Sidney Seymour:

See the complete report here:  2015 1-17 Seymour Stop.pdf

With the Citation here, and the BBUT Report here.

[John Doe Jr]

Funny how alleged domestic violence against his ex wife is non-existent in public records.

Suppose that was thrown out as well.

[Willy]

Many women seeking a divorce or who are involved in custody battles will try to pin a PPO on their husbands so that the courts will favor them over their husbands. If there was any merit to the complaints and the woman was truly being threatened then most likely she would have received the PPO she requested.

[John Doe Jr]

In lieu of a PPO, he was transferred to Cadillac.

So being out of the area, no need presumably for a PPO.

So his life continued without accountability.

[John Doe Jr]

I will say that his wife never was or ever would be a violent person.Not yesterday,today, or tomorrow. I would also tell you she would never speak ill or against anyone,ever. If she says something happened, it happened, 100%, no argument. I would say these alleged incidences were true, and the police covered someone's butt. Police are not suppose to be criminals, but most are. And, when they get caught they never have consequences to their actions. Not only did someone suffer violence, but their words never meant anything. I can't imagine how awful these wives feel being abused and nobody will listen, and nobody will protect you, and you live in fear. If you knew her you would never have to ask.

[XLFD]

I'm attempting to see what the Sheriff has to offer on this with a FOIA request.  If I don't get anything, I'll let you know.

[XLFD]

He delivered up the report and the in-car video earlier without any problems, even though I believe it contains some damning evidence against his department.  It may have been a mistake, but there are three possible outcomes here which all improve accountability: 

1) such incident(s) are claimed not to exist- then any data to the contrary shows the MCSO lacks integrity and have violated FOIA law. 

2) such incident(s) are denied on other grounds- then the records will be confirmed to exist, but somehow unavailable; I cannot think of how these entire records would be exempt from disclosure 

3)  the incidents are disclosed- then the public will have an idea of whether they deserve merit as to the type of person Sammy is.  

BTW, Professor Seymour has been removed from the faculty of WSCC.  Just two weeks ago you could see this, now he's totally off the system:

[XLFD]

Celeste, I did receive a FOIA reply from the MCSO about an incident that happened in April 2013.  I will be posting that later on.  I thank the MCSO once again for being accountable via FOIA once again.

[AQUAMAN]

Thanks for the acute insight Streeter. I would think that where a person works is a negligible fact, since the alleged assailant commutes and lives in the same town of Ludington, not Cadillac. This wouldn't be the first wife of a cop to make similar complaints, and it very seldom gets reported, as most women know what's in store if they do ask for a PPO.

[XLFD]

Kimberly Septrion has only a safety belt violation from her own past wrote out by LPD in March of 2010, and a divorce she started on her ex-husband back a few years.  I also found out on the current charges, she had a probable cause hearing on 1-28-2015, where a plea & sentencing hearing was scheduled, a notice to appear was sent on 1-31-2015; however, just today that was removed from the calendar under a miscellaneous action. 

Septrion has hired Christopher J. Wilson from Muskegon as her counsel for the criminal charges against her.  It is likely they will advise her to fight back with a civil complaint.

[XLFD]

Be careful you specify your Kim's here, Celeste, remember Sheriff Cole is a Kim.

[AQUAMAN]

My goodness this thread MUST BE INTERESTING TO A LOT OF COPS! Anyone look at the fact this has almost 800 views now, in only 8 days? Why aren't you peeps commenting on this situation, since you are wasting so much time reading it? Probably on taxpayer "on duty" time too, no doubt.

[AQUAMAN]

Now counting 1100 views in 10 days.