Police Arrest Jogger After He Warns Drivers of Speed Trap

http://www.ktsm.com/local/police-arrest-jogger-after-he-warns-drivers-of-spee...

By Lauren Zimmerman - Web Producer
Thursday, July 14, 2011 - 5:24pm

EL PASO- A man in West El Paso is claiming he was thrown in jail last week in retaliation for warning drivers about a nearby police checkpoint for speeding.

Jose Escobar stands at the same intersection where police arrested him last Friday. He hopes passing drivers will remember what happened that day. He says he was warning motorists that an officer was down the road...looking for speeders.

"I was running, jogging here and the police officer was giving tickets up there and I was advising the people to slow down and then he got mad," says Escobar.

Escobar says he was jogging back and forth at this intersection in West El Paso, giving people a heads up about a speed zone when the officer handcuffed him.

"I asked him 'Why are you arresting me?' And he didn't say nothing. And I asked him to give me a ticket. And he didn't say nothing. And just took me to jail," says Escobar.

After five hours in the county jail, Escobar paid $66 and walked out. The formal charge- pedestrian failing to yield right of way to a vehicle. Escobar says jail time for jaywalking is pure retaliation for angering a police officer.

Passer-by, Jizette Salazar says the same officer pulled her over that day asking her about Escobar.

Now armed with a sign, he's asking anyone who may have seen how he was treated that day to give him a call as he plans to file a formal complaint against the officer.

Police say right now these are just allegations by one man and no formal complaint has been filed.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• police
• free
• speech

[DavidForthoffer]

Why is jaywalking a handcuffing offense?

[VerifyHistory]

This man is a hero. If more people stood up.

[aboisjoli]

this is how we do it folks...don't let 'em get away with it!

[SuperPacman66]

@holleyboy233 Yeah it's no different than the speeding signs or the speed zone signs...He was just looking out for people...I guess the cop was pissed because he didn't meet his daily quota...Hoping people would speed..It's a fucked up 2 way track ;/

[Xainification]

"He say nothing, he took me to Yale."

You should be happy!

[YourSistersHusband]

@holleyboy233 Police Officers are revenue collectors for the state. Do not ever let them tell you otherwise. People get shot and killed all the time in my city, that whole "Protect and Serve" is utter bullshit. We have to protect ourselves 99% of the time, and big bad Uncle Sam is making that harder and harder by the day, but not giving us any alternatives. Police are glorified mafia.

[sermadness]

@DavidForthoffer Because he has a Spanish accent is why it's a handcuffing offense.

[ebayisajoke]

publo escobar lol

[holleyboy233]

wait...the officer arrested him...for making the world a safer place by telling people not to speed? im sorry but isnt that what the cop was doing the only difference being the officer would give you a ticket...sometimes i cant stand how some officers act..

[HumbleWillis]

If more people would exercise their 2nd amendment rights, and stand up for themselves, we wouldn't even need cops except to direct mall traffic at Christmas and to take reports. Fewer cops means fewer abusive cops. Go get a gun, and get a license to carry it! Do us all a favor.