On Your Side: Suspended Drivers Hit The Pavement Again
posted 6:47 pm Wed February 20, 2008 -
-WJLA SCRIPT-
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TONIGHT... "7 ON YOUR SIDE" GOES UNDERCOVER TO EXPOSE A HAZARD ON THE ROADS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DRIVERS. SUSPENDED, REVOKED, THESE WORDS ARE EASY TO UNDERSTAND. SO WHY IS OUR ROSS MCLAUGHLIN CATCHING SOME PEOPLE IGNORING THE LAW?
ROSS MCLAUGHLIN: LET ME THROW A COUPLE MORE WORDS AT YOU, HOW ABOUT BOLD AND BRAZEN...PEOPLE WHO'VE ALREADY LOST THEIR LICENSE..BACK IN COURT AGAIN, CHARGED WITH "DRIVING WHILE SUSPENDED". SOME LIE TO THE JUDGE AND SAY THEY DIDN'T DRIVE, OTHERS TRY TO BE A BIT MORE SNEAKY AND PARK WAY IN THE BACK. WE WATCHED AS THEY WALKED STRAIGHT FROM THE COURT ROOM TO THE DRIVER'S SEAT.
STORY:
IT'S ON.
WE'RE UNDERCOVER..ON THE RUN..OUTSIDE THE STAFFORD COUNTY COURTHOUSE. WHY? TO CATCH PEOPLE WHO SHOULDN'T BE DRIVING. AND THEY KNOW IT.
Lawrence Thompson: "I'm waiting for ma, my wife's coming up out of the place right there."
THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO ADMIT IT.
Shawn-7 On Your Side Producer: "You got a suspended license right?"
Valencia Glover: "No sir."
WHAT THESE FOLKS DON'T KNOW IS, WE WERE INSIDE LISTENING THE WHOLE TIME. LIKE THIS GUY. CHRISTOPHER FREEMAN. HE JUST TOLD THE JUDGE HE DIDN'T DRIVE HERE. REALLY? CHRISTOPHER'S PARKED WAY IN THE BACK. WE FOLLOWED HIM THE WHOLE TIME. AS HE STARTS TO BACK OUT..WE MOVE IN.
Ross: "You were just in court for a suspended license."
GOTCHA.
Ross: "You lied to the judge you told the judge you didn't drive here Tuesday."
Christopher Freeman: "Yes sir."
WE CONVINCE HIM TO PARK HIS CAR AND OWN UP.
Ross: "You have your license suspended for reckless driving?"
Christopher Freeman: "Yes sir."
Ross: "Charged again with driving on a suspended license."
Christopher Freeman: "Yes sir."
Ross: "Told the judge you had no valid driver's license and here we are.
Christopher Freeman: "Yes sir."
WE SAW ALL KINDS OF MISTAKES BEING MADE..LIKE THIS WOMAN, SHE SHOWS UP TO COURT WITH SOMEONE ELSE BUT DOESN'T GIVE HIM THE KEYS TO DRIVE...INSTEAD, SHE GETS BEHIND THE WHEEL.
Shawn-7 On Your Side Producer: "Question for you. Your license just get suspended?"
Paula Donoso: "No."
Shawn-7 On Your Side Producer: "No?"
Paula Donoso: "No."
BUT SHE'S CHARGED WITH DRIVING WHILE SUSPENDED.
Shawn-7 On Your Side Producer: "You sure?"
Paula Donoso: "Yeah."
Shawn-7 On Your Side Producer: "Okay."
REALLY? THE STAFFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE TOLD US HER LICENSE WAS SUSPENDED...AS WE WALK AWAY SHE GIVES UP THE KEYS AND TRADES PLACES WITH THAT OTHER GUY.
Other guy: "I'll knock that (expletive deleted) camera right out of your hand."
Shawn-7 On Your Side Producer: "What's that?"
Paula Donoso: "Nothing."
OH IT'S INTERESTING HOW THE STORIES CHANGE. LIKE THIS WOMAN. THIS IS UNDERCOVER VIDEO OF ME TALKING TO HER OUTSIDE COURT. SHE TELLS ME HER LICENSE IS SUSPENDED BUT WHEN ASKED ON CAMERA.
Shawn-7 On Your Side Producer: "Okay so it's not suspended?"
Valencia Glover: "No sir."
Shawn-7 On Your Side Producer: "So you're good."
Valencia Glover: "Yes sir."
AND REMEMBER THIS GUY WHO'S WAITING ON HIS WIFE.
Lawrence Thompson: "I'm waiting for my wife's coming up out of the place right there."
HE'S HAD 3 DUI'S IN 10 YEARS.
Ross: "People like you should not be driving."
Lawrence Thompson: "Yeah"
Ross: "You were told by the court not to drive."
Lawrence Thompson: "Yeah"
Ross: "Do you remember that?
Lawrence Thompson: "Yeah."
HE HAS NO VALID DRIVER'S LICENSE.
Ross: "You want me to dial the number for you?"
Lawrence Thompson: "Yeah."
NOW HE WANTS TO CALL HIS WIFE.
Ross: "Where is she right now.
Lawrence Thompson: "On 610."
Ross: "Oh she's up on 610. So she's not over here like you told me?"
Lawrence Thompson: "Well that's not my real wife."
Ross: "That's not your real wife."
Lawrence Thompson: "Yeah."
Ross: "Okay"
BUT FOLKS THIS IS NO LAUGHING MATTER. HE SAYS HE WON'T DRIVE.
Ross: "You're not going to drive again, until this is all dealt with?"
Lawrence Thompson: "No I'll have to get somebody to drive back and forth or something."
THE KEY HERE, GET THESE PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR CARS.
Ross: "You parked at the far end of the lot as far away as you could possibly park."
Christopher Freeman: "Because after this I was going straight home..."
Ross: "Because you didn't want to get caught?"
Christopher Freeman: "Correct."
ROSS MCLAUGHLIN: SO DID THEY LEAVE THEIR VEHICLES BEHIND? WHO LISTENED AND WHO DIDN'T AND WHAT ARE THE POLICE DOING ABOUT IT? JOINS US FOR MORE ON THIS INVESTIGATION TONIGHT AT 11 ON ABC 7 NEWS.
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