What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? CA
Hello, happy to be new to this forum! I had a bizarre and disturbing incident last night riding my bicycle. I was riding on the sidewalk-not the road- going northbound. The sidewalk was alongside the southbound lane, so I was, I supppose, on the wrong side but that's unclear since I was not in the road in the first place. Anyway, seemingly out of nowhere, a sherrif's car roars up from behind and pulls right up to the sidewalk and orders me to stop and get off my bike. This means the officer had to also travel northbound in the southbound lane, obviously on the actual road, thus breaking the law. He also parked illegally given he was faced north on the southbound side. He asks me my name and DOB in a hostile tone. I tell him my name is Chris LastName with DOB. He searches and does not find me. He gets out of the vehicle and orders my hands behind my back. He tells me I gave him a fake name. He also says that I did not properly position my hands as he handcuffs me. He throws my wallet and keys in the street and forces me into the police car. I ask why I've been handcuffed and forced into the police car and he says it was because I gave him a fake name. I did not give a fake name. But, my name was listed as 'Christopher' and he entered Chris. He grabbed my wallet and searched for me using my Driver License and of course found me. I was angry at this point, telling him I never gave him a fake name. I then ask again why I'm being handcuffed and held in a police car. He tells me I did not have a light on my bike (true), and I gave a fake name. This is after he realized I was listed as Christopher when he typed Chris! He then starts asking me if I had been drinking and asks if I would submit to a field sobriety test. I told him no on both counts. He continues probing, trying to get me to admit I had at least a few drinks. I said I had not. He continues to be very hostile. We basically sit in the car for a good hour (me having to urinate badly the entire time) and go around in circles until we just stop. He calls for backup as he apparently could not make any final calls or submit any field sobriety tests. Two officers finally arrive, they conference with the officer who detained me, and they clearly see this is all ridiculous. They simply ask me if I'm too intoxicated to drive a bike to which I replied 'No'. They conference again briefly, order me out of the car, uncuff me and hand me a citation for no light on bike, driving on wrong side of the road, and one other bike related infraction I'm not sure about. They send me on my way. More than an hour after I had been cuffed and detained.
The actual charges I face are minor and likely can be reduced down to very little when I show up in court. But, the entire incident was quite disturbing. What, if any, action should I consider taking? My best guess at this point is to attack the fact that the sherrif had to break the law blatantly to pull me over in the first place. But, really, there was so much that felt wrong about the ordeal. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
Hello, happy to be new to this forum! I had a bizarre and disturbing incident last night riding my bicycle. I was riding on the sidewalk-not the road- going northbound. The sidewalk was alongside the southbound lane, so I was, I supppose, on the wrong side but that's unclear since I was not in the road in the first place. Anyway, seemingly out of nowhere, a sherrif's car roars up from behind and pulls right up to the sidewalk and orders me to stop and get off my bike. This means the officer had to also travel northbound in the southbound lane, obviously on the actual road, thus breaking the law. He also parked illegally given he was faced north on the southbound side. He asks me my name and DOB in a hostile tone. I tell him my name is Chris LastName with DOB. He searches and does not find me. He gets out of the vehicle and orders my hands behind my back. He tells me I gave him a fake name. He also says that I did not properly position my hands as he handcuffs me. He throws my wallet and keys in the street and forces me into the police car. I ask why I've been handcuffed and forced into the police car and he says it was because I gave him a fake name. I did not give a fake name. But, my name was listed as 'Christopher' and he entered Chris. He grabbed my wallet and searched for me using my Driver License and of course found me. I was angry at this point, telling him I never gave him a fake name. I then ask again why I'm being handcuffed and held in a police car. He tells me I did not have a light on my bike (true), and I gave a fake name. This is after he realized I was listed as Christopher when he typed Chris! He then starts asking me if I had been drinking and asks if I would submit to a field sobriety test. I told him no on both counts. He continues probing, trying to get me to admit I had at least a few drinks. I said I had not. He continues to be very hostile. We basically sit in the car for a good hour (me having to urinate badly the entire time) and go around in circles until we just stop. He calls for backup as he apparently could not make any final calls or submit any field sobriety tests. Two officers finally arrive, they conference with the officer who detained me, and they clearly see this is all ridiculous. They simply ask me if I'm too intoxicated to drive a bike to which I replied 'No'. They conference again briefly, order me out of the car, uncuff me and hand me a citation for no light on bike, driving on wrong side of the road, and one other bike related infraction I'm not sure about. They send me on my way. More than an hour after I had been cuffed and detained.
The actual charges I face are minor and likely can be reduced down to very little when I show up in court. But, the entire incident was quite disturbing. What, if any, action should I consider taking? My best guess at this point is to attack the fact that the sherrif had to break the law blatantly to pull me over in the first place. But, really, there was so much that felt wrong about the ordeal. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
