Trooper found guilty of driving ORV impaired, no license sanctions imposed

[Dave]

And in a weird turn of events, we have this. Plea deal anyone? I'll go out on a limb here and say that this is an odd end to the incident.

By Allison Scarbrough. Contributing Editor.

LUDINGTON — Michigan State Police Trooper Sammy Sidney Seymour, Jr., was found guilty, Feb. 5, 2016, in 79th District Court of operating an ORV while impaired.

Initially charged with operating while intoxicated, which requires driver’s license sanctions, Seymour’s sentence for operating an ORV while impaired does not include any driver’s license sanctions.

Seymour’s sentence includes one day in jail with credit for one day served; outpatient treatment, which his court file indicates he has completed; $870 in fines and costs; 93 days discretionary jail for one year; and his ORV privileges are suspended for 90 days.

The 42-year-old Seymour, who lives in Ludington, was placed on administrative duty following his Jan. 17, 2015 arrest pending the outcome of the judicial process.

MCP contacted the MSP Cadillac post, where Seymour was assigned, to find out the status of his employment. MCP’s inquiry was transferred to the MSP public affairs office in Lansing. A public affairs representative said she would look into the matter and call back. MCP is still waiting for the follow-up call.

Seymour’s drunk driving trial last May ended as a mistrial due to a hung jury. The six jurors could not come to an agreement, and 79th District Court Judge Pete Wadel declared a mistrial.

Testimony during the trial never referenced an ORV. A voicemail inquiring about the case left at Mason County

Prosecutor Paul Spaniola’s office has not been returned.

Seymour’s sister, 45-year-old Kimberly Sue Septrion of Ludington, was a passenger in his vehicle the night he was arrested and attempted to kick the back window out of a Mason County Sheriff’s Office patrol car; assaulted a Ludington police officer; and resisted a county deputy.

Septrion pleaded no contest Feb. 17, 2015 to attempted assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer. Wadel sentenced her to one day in jail with credit for one day served; $590 in fines and costs; and may not possess/buy/use alcohol or illicit drugs.

Seymour and Septrion were arrested Jan. 17, 2015 at the intersection of Loomis and Delia streets following a traffic stop at 2:19 a.m. by the Ludington Police Department.

Seymour was previously assigned to the MSP Hart post.

http://www.masoncountypress.com/2016/02/10/trooper-found-guilty-of-...

[mad mike]

"This is disgusting! He is a danger to himself and everyone around him."

And he is allowed to carry a gun

[Real Talk]

There are some factors that go into plea deals.  I am guessing Seymour had a high paid attorney that had some fear in Spaniola feeling confident to win the case in a SECONDtrail.  Also, how many of those cases you posted attempted to fight their drunk driving case?  

It is not like he had it pleaed down to a ticket or something.  He still has a misdemeanor by the looks of it.

If it would have went to a trial, AGAIN, in front of a jury who is made up of all of us and he won, everyone would be crying that he got off free and wasn't offered any sort of punishment.  People are offered plea deals in a lot of cases, but its not published like this due to his profession.  I believe the biggest part of this would be him having a good attorney.  How about we stop acting like we all are lawyers and know what happened with the case.  

[Willy]

We only know what is released by law enforcement and the courts. After the information is filtered by the media we end up with bits and pieces of what actually took place. Most of the time that information is woefully limited, so that leaves the public with no alternative but to speculate on what really happened. That's what this topic is about. We are trying to make sense of a subject matter with only a sprinkling of information. Like doing a jigsaw puzzle with most of the pieces missing.