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Fenty Involved in Controversy Over Weekend Traffic Accident
posted 08/06/09
5:09 pm
The issue stems from the officer who filed the report not following proper procedure. Now, the mayor has a different take on events than what's stated in the police report.
The mayor is driving his Smart Car through the city Thursday. His Lincoln Navigator could be in the shop after a fender bender at the intersection of Broad Branch Road and Rittenhouse Street Northwest Sunday night.
"I really don't know much about the police report. Once I gave my statement to the police I was pretty much finished with it," Fenty said.
The mayor's office says another vehicle ran a stop sign but the police report indicates the mayor's Navigator rammed the other vehicle. Now, the chief of police stepped in to quell the controversy over who hit whom.
"I think there has been a lot of things made out of nothing here," said Metropolitan Police Department (web | news) Chief Cathy Lanier (web | news | bio) .
A member of the mayor's security detail filed the report but failed to take the names of passengers in the Fenty vehicle -- which apparently included the mayor's children and a friend. The officer also did not take pictures as required of city-owned vehicles involved in accidents.
"The photographs weren't taken because when the officer arrived on the scene the other vehicle had already left the scene -- you can't take a picture of something that is not there," said Lanier.
The mayor has had car problems in the past, namely when he allowed a friend to drive his city-owned vehicle in violation of city code a couple of years ago. The mayor and his supporters are anxious now to put this latest controversy over the crash to rest.
"Everybody walked away - the cars drove away so a we're feeling fortunate and we will just move on," said Fenty.
ABC 7 News spoke with the father of the 19-year-old driver of the other vehicle in the crash. He said only that his son stands by his statement that he never saw the mayor's car before the collision.
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Latest Comments on "Fenty Involved in Controversy Over Weekend Traffic Accident"
posted by: MCA on 9:08 pm on 08/06/09
Dah! There is no way that the Mayor's security detail (sworn cops or not) should be able to document the the accident because the lack the real or apparent appearance of a conflict of interest. It is wrong, wrong, wrong! And therefore it belongs in DC.
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