A MAN WAS HOLDING A SIGN ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THAT SAID “RADAR AHEAD!”– WARNING DRIVERS PASSING BY OF AN UPCOMING SPEED TRAP.
POLICE APPROACHED 54 YEAR OLD JONATHAN GUESSFORD – TOOK HIS SIGN AWAY AND TORE IT UP – AND NOW THE DELAWARE STATE POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL BE PAYING GUESSFORD FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS OVER THE INCIDENT.
DASH CAM FOOTAGE SHOWS THE MOMENT OF THE ALTERCATION.
TAKE A LOOK.
“I AM engaged in a first amendment activity – YOU are not taking my property. You see what he did, don’t put your hands on me, give me *beep my property back.”
OFFICERS LET GUESSFORD GO – BUT WHEN THE MAN PULLED AWAY, HE FLIPPED OFF THE POLICE. WHICH INITIATED ANOTHER PROFANITY-LACED ENCOUNTER. POLICE THEN CITED GUESSFORD FOR “IMPROPER HAND SIGNALING”. DASH CAM VIDEO PICKS UP AUDIO FROM POLICE DISCUSSING HOW THEY KNEW THE CHARGE WOULDN’T STICK.
“WE can’t pull people over we can’t write a ticket for them giving the middle finger– that’s they’re right to do so. We have no real basis its going to get thrown out”
THE POLICE WERE RIGHT. CHARGES WERE DROPPED. AND GUESSFORD – SUED.
GUESSFORD CLAIMED THE POLICE PREVENTED HIM FROM ENGAGING IN PEACEFUL PROTEST.
THE OFFICERS SETTLED THE LAWSUIT — AGREEING TO GIVE GUESSFORD 50 THOUSAND DOLLARS.