Speeding in emergency??

Question

Last night I had to drive my sister to the hospital. She was In alot of pain and hysterical. I was speeding to get to the hospital. When I was about a half a mile from the hospital when a police officer pulled me over. He made us wait for 20 minutes while he wrote me a ticket, while my sister was crying in pain. When I told him I was trying to get my sister to the hospital, he asked me if I was a certified EMS driver, and even questioned weather or not I was going to the hospital. I was doing 56 in a 35, but he only wrote me up for 10 over. I was wondering if there was anyway I could get out of the ticket. He was also a officer from a different township, and someone told me he couldn’t give me a ticket if he wasn’t from the city I was in. Is that true? If not can I get out of the ticket because it was an emergency?

Answer 1

Depending on where you live, there may or may not be certain rules for jurisdiction.  I know where I live, a police officer can pull you over anywhere in the state and issue a ticket.

I would go to court and at least try to explain the situation, bringing documentation with you to show that you were actually taking your sister to the hospital.  Best case scenario is that the officer won't even show and it will just get it thrown out.  You never know until you try I guess :)  

Answer 2

The officer doesn't have the right to dismiss something - that;s up to the judge on your case.  If your sister was admitted to a hospital, there should be an admission sheet showing the time and date - bring that with you to court and the judge could be lenient.

Different township?  Different from what?  From where you live?  (irrelevant) from where you were stopped (possible issue) from where you committed the offense?  (A police officer's lawful ability to act will normally be determined by specific laws of yours and his jurisdictions).

Remember, your speeding could have caused an accident.

Answer 3

Sorry, but he is out of his jurisdiction which means he could not give you a ticket and if anything your sister could sue him for adding to her pain and suffering.

Answer 4

He may be out of his jurisdiction which may cause the ticket to be thrown out.  I'd go to court and try to fight it.  Bring documentation that shows your sister was really at the hospital ER and anything possible that shows you are the one that accompanied her.  Hopefully you had your flashers on as that's what they're for too.

Answer 5

Police, fire, and EMS are allowed to speed because they warn other drivers with lights and sirens, and because the received specialized training.  The judge may take your situation into consideration, but he has no legal obligation to.

As far as the officer being from a different township, that depends on where. Most agencies have a mutual aid agreement with other agencies in the same county, allowing them full authority in the entire county.

Answer 6

if the er doc states her life was in jeopardy you will most likely get out of it but if it was non life threatening.... ask for mercy.  

as in the second amendment  you have the right to take steps  to protect your self and the ones you love, but you must except legal response ability for the actions you take.

Answer 7

Ambulances exist for a reason. They are authorized to exceed the posted speed limit, you are not. You don't know if it was an emergency because, and I'm only assuming, you don't have any medical training. Next time, call 911 and you won't have to worry about a speeding ticket.

Answer 8

You should have called an ambulance if it was an emergency.  I only say this, because you could have caused an accident driving at that speed, and an ambulance would have had the sirens for people to be aware of the fact that they are coming.

However, the police officer should not have kept you waiting for 20 minutes and should have offered to call an ambulance for you, or given you an escort the rest of the way.  He could have given you your ticket there.

Answer 9

I don't know the rules for speeding in your state.

Here in NJ, only cops are allowed to exceed the posted speed limit and only in 2 very specific circumstances (in pursuit and in response to an emergency call).

No other vehicle, including ambulances and fire trucks, is ever permitted to exceed the posted speed limit.

I don't know what the rules are for the cops in your state but here we have full police authority anywhere in the state. This is true in many states, but not all of them.

Go to court and explain your situation to the judge. If you can prove that you were going to the hospital (bring the hospital paperwork and your sister to court) you may get off. Assuming everything you said here is true you have a good chance of getting it dismissed.

Good luck!

Answer 10

Go to court and see what the judge says.  It's totally up to him.

Answer 11

He can't write you a ticket for a different township, but if he saw you in his township speeding, he can write you a ticket for his township.... just because you crossed the line, dosen't mean you are in the clear.  I don't know all the details, where he clocked you, where he pulled you over, if he had permission to pursue you out of his jurisdiction... they may even have a collaberative jurisdiction where neighboring townships have the right to patrol each others territory.  You could fight it in court, but I doubt you will win.... I'm prettys sure the officer knew what his limits were, and didn't violate them.

As far as getting out of it because it was an emergency... nope, not a chance.  Like he said, you are not a certified EMS driver, and you do not have emergency lights on your vehicle.  You were speeding, that's the bottom line.  If it was an emergency, you should have called EMS and let them transport her.  

Answer 12

Just wanted to note that ambulance drivers in most states CANNOT speed.  In NJ we cannot drive above the speed limit.

Second in a true emergency you should always call an ambulance.  As an EMT I have seen patients die as a result of being driven (sad but true).

Answer 13

Being out of his jurisdiction when the ticket was written does not constitute the ticket as void.  You can fight it if you want, but I wouldn't waste my time on that aspect.

Speeding to get your sister to the hospital was a bad idea, that is what ambulances are for.  You are worried about your sister, distracted by her hysterical outbursts and cries of pain, plus you are well over the limit.  All of this creates a great hazard to you in your ability to operate the car safely.  That is why you should have called an ambulance, or drove slower.

All of this is no excuse for the officer's bad attitude.  I have pulled over people doing what you were doing.  I warned them to slow down for their safety.  I also asked them if they needed an ambulance to respond to where I had them stopped.  Handling your sister's emergency was the priority, not your speed.  His failing to do so could constitute negligence of duty on his part.  Feel free to file a complaint with his department's internal affairs unit.