Houston, Texas
Natalie Plummer was out riding her bike, from a nearby grocery store, when she noticed Houston police pulling over random drivers. One of their new tactics is to be on-foot, hiding behind a tree or along the roadside with a radar gun. They will then step-out into the roadway and motion drivers to pull-over.
Natalie created a sign on a paper sack and, while standing on a sidewalk a few blocks away, attempted to warn drivers of the speed trap. And for those who have followed the history of Houston police, or those living in the Houston area, you can probably guess what happens next.
It was a trip to jail for Plummer. However, the charges against her are astounding. Fortunately, she is speaking out.
"I was completely abiding by the law," she said. "I was simply warning citizens of a situation ahead."
She said, "I felt like he was just pulling random cars over."
"I for sure did not step into the street," Plummer said. "(I stayed) on the sidewalk the entire time."
After a few minutes, Plummer claims one of the officers drove up, jumped from his car and started pulling at her backpack. She says he searched it without consent, and then arrested her.
"He was telling me he was taking me to jail for obstructing justice, that was an automatic three to five years," Plummer recalled.
She was instead only cited with a misdemeanor. Court documents show her accused of "...walking in the roadway where there is a sidewalk present."
Plummer says, though, that she spent 12 hours in jail before bonding out.
The Houston Police Department has refused to talk about this incident. A spokesperson says Plummer was "in the roadway" and "was a danger to herself and others and "...the sum total of which was an arrestable offense."
Plummer said, "He couldn't take me to jail for holding up this sign or he would have. So all he could do was make-up something fake about it."
Police say Plummer was combative and resisted arrest. However, many are questioning if the police officer took things too far. One Houston legal analyst says Plummer should not have been arrested.
We are going to have to agree with the analyst. A Texas Badge in Question stands behind Natalie Plummer...(for what that's worth)
4 comments:
It is worth a lot to me!
Thank you for your support.
-Natalie Plummer
how can we donate money to Natalie Plummer?
Maybe Natalie should try being a lookout for a bank robber next time.... Don't break the law, simple
§ 42.03. OBSTRUCTING HIGHWAY OR OTHER PASSAGEWAY. (a) A person commits an offense if, without legal privilege or authority, he intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly: (1) obstructs a highway, street, sidewalk, railway, waterway, elevator, aisle, hallway, entrance, or exit to which the public or a substantial group of the public has access, or any other place used for the passage of persons, vehicles, or conveyances, regardless of the means of creating the obstruction and whether the obstruction arises from his acts alone or from his acts and the acts of others; or (2) disobeys a reasonable request or order to move issued by a person the actor knows to be or is informed is a peace officer, a fireman, or a person with authority to control the use of the premises: (A) to prevent obstruction of a highway or any of those areas mentioned in Subdivision (1); or (B) to maintain public safety by dispersing those gathered in dangerous proximity to a fire, riot, or other hazard. (b) For purposes of this section, "obstruct" means to render impassable or to render passage unreasonably inconvenient or hazardous. (c) An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor.
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