Home > It's A Legal Matter > Summer job

Summer job

By Jeff Terrill

Fort Wayne Reader

2017-05-23


Mike loves being outdoors and can’t wait to work hard, earn some money and soak up some rays. A friend of a friend tells Mike about a guy who owns a lawn care business and who needs people to cut grass. Mike is home from college for the summer. Mike isn’t a real person.

Mike calls the guy and gets the job. On his first day of work, Mike’s boss hands him the keys to an old pick-up truck and tells him he’s one of his summer drivers. The truck is hauling a trailer with two lawn tractors and a leaf blower.

Mike gets into the truck. He adjusts the seat and the mirrors and sets off for the first job of the day. Mike approaches an intersection and notices a police vehicle traveling the opposite direction. Mike turns left in front of the stopped squad car. Moments later, Mike realizes the squad car is following the truck with its emergency lights on.

Mike hands the officer his driver’s license. The officer asks for the registration. Mike explains that he’s not the owner of the truck. The officer seems disinterested. Mike opens up the glove box and is surprised to see that it is completely empty. Mike checks above the visors and in the center console. Nothing.
The officer informs Mike that he pulled him over because Mike failed to use his turn signal. Mike tells the officer he thinks he signaled. The officer also advises Mike that the license plate is registered to a different type of truck. Another police officer arrives on the scene. The officers order Mike and his passenger out of the truck. The officers search the truck. Mike assumes they are looking for the registration and insurance paperwork.

After a few seconds, an officer exits the truck with a pipe in his hand. The officer arrests Mike for possession of paraphernalia and also tickets him for his failure to signal his turn, false and fictitious license plate, and failure to provide proof of insurance. The officer calls for a tow truck.
Mike explains that he’s never before driven that truck and that he’s never seen the pipe.
Mike is hopeful that his boss will straighten out this mess.

The next morning, Mike’s parents bail Mike out of the jail. Mike’s boss sends him a text informing him that he’s fired.

Mike didn’t intend to break any laws. He had no idea that the truck’s turn signal didn’t work. He didn’t know there was a marijuana pipe underneath the driver’s seat. He didn’t know the license plate didn’t match. He didn’t know not to trust his boss.

And he didn’t know that innocent people can go to jail.

-------------------------

Jeff Terrill is a partner/shareholder with the law firm of Arnold Terrill Anzini, P.C. Mr. Terrill represents clients accused of crimes throughout northeast Indiana. You can contact Mr. Terrill with any questions or comments at his office at 260.420.7777 or via email at jterrill@fortwaynedefense.com. Learn more about his firm at www.fortwaynedefense.com. This article expressed opinions and observations of the author, is not intended as legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship between the author and the reader. Please consult a qualified attorney with any legal questions or issues you might have. Thank you




Be the first to rate this story!
Bad
1 2 3 4 5
Excellent
 
 
FWR Archive | Contact Us | Advertise | Add Fort Wayne Reader news to your website |
©2024 Fort Wayne Reader. All rights Reserved.
 

©2024 Fort Wayne Reader. All rights Reserved.