REDUCED | ENDANGERMENT/RECKLESS DRIVING REDUCED to “failure to obey a police officer” – State v. Ms. T. (DMC No. 4686) (San Tan Justice Court CR03-01052MI): Ms. T. was driving to pick up her children from a school function as it was getting dark, when she came upon an accident scene in which officers had set up cones and were stopping traffic. She drove between the cones in order to go straight, and the officer stopped her. As he was talking to her at the side of her car, she said she had to pick her kids up because “they could be in danger” and she took off. The officer was almost knocked to the ground, and she finally stopped. He asked her numerous times to exit the vehicle and she kept refusing numerous commands. She was eventually pepper sprayed and dragged out of the vehicle. Due to the fact that she had various mental issues, we were able to convince the prosecutor to dismiss the “endangerment” and “reckless driving” charges (which would have cost Ms. T. her driver’s license) in exchange for a “failure to obey a police officer” ticket with a fine only.
