Problem with Hondo PD

[SOLID EAGLE]

This last weekend, my wife and I got a chance to get away to our lease in Hondo. Friday morning we get up and drive into town to have some breakfast tacos at the Taqueria El Rodeo De Jalisco by HEB. We left out of the parking lot and turned right onto Ave. E to cross over HWY 90 and go to the hardware store. As I am crossing the railroad tracks a Hondo Police car pulls in behind me and turns on his lights.

I pull over, roll down my windows, turn off my truck, put on my flashers, unbuckle my seat belt and retrieve my wallet. The officer walks up and asks for my license and proof of insurance. I give him these as well as my CCL and advise him that I am armed. He asks where is my weapon and I tell him it's on my right hip.

He tells me he stopped me for no seat belt and that he has seen me twice that morning without it on. I tell him it was on, but I removed it when he pulled me over. He said "that's not what I saw". I ask him where he saw me the first time. "On the north side of town" he says and I tell him that I have not been on the north side today. He then tells me to wait in my truck and comes back with my ticket.

I always wear my seat belt. I know he made this up.

Has anyone else had a problem with Hondo PD or Officer Martinez?

Is there any way to fight this without having to go back to Hondo on the court date?

If I was in the wrong, I'd pay it and never say a word. But this is just wrong.

[Darton]

Sounds like the PD needs to bring in some more money for the budget!

[TexaRican]

Never pull your seat belt off before they walk up. Just asking for it.

Sorry you are having to deal with this. I like Hondo but have never been pulled over there.

[kumathebear]

Sometimes there are rotten eggs in every basket....as for me, nah....just get you in more "heat" so I'll refrain.

[SOLID EAGLE]

Never pull your seat belt off before they walk up. Just asking for it.

Sorry you are having to deal with this. I like Hondo but have never been pulled over there.

That is probably correct. The only reason I do it is to not have to reach down by my weapon if he asks me to step out of the truck.

Hondo is a great town with some of the friendliest people in Texas. This just didn't set well with me.

[Speedgoat]

It happens more than you hear about.

[Mister Bubba's bulletman]

You could fight it but it sound like typical revenue generating. It's scummy but done everyday.

I tried to fight one like that but the judge told me she had "two cops in this town, one honest and the other was a liar and I got stopped by the one who was honest so pay the fine".

[HainesNYT]

I think that is the chief, ex DPS officer.

Hondo PD doesn’t have much for a “bad rap” or being a revenue generator like Castroville. I would go to court and explain the same story you did here.

[Ca$ey]

I'd fight it. Should have pulled you over the first time if he saw you twice.

[Chew]

Ticks me off royally. If you are innocent, you need to fight it. I can't stand ticket writing idiots that count on you not showing up to court because you're not local.

[Dudlbugr]

You know, it IS getting close to the end of the month... Got to meet quotas and all...

[Playa]

I would fight it, the trip back to Hondo is likely less $ than the ticket. He is going to have to prove you did not have it on & your wife can act as a witness that that you had to unbuckle it in order retrieve your wallet.

[ultrastealth]

I've never been pulled over there, but I travel through Hondo a good bit, and it is a classic speed trap. I seldom don't see a cop or DPS car. Sorry that happened to you, but it looks like he was short on his quota.

[Bisch]

If you fight it, and the officer shows for the court date and says he saw you with no seatbelt on, you are screwed!

I got a ticket in Austin for crossing a double yellow line while passing. This was on a busy street in a residential neighborhood. I rolled up AND STOPPED behind a double parked car. There was no one in the car so I eased around it and went about 2 more blocks to a stop sign where I was pulled over. I explained that the car was double parked and that there was no one in the car. The officer then told me I should have waited to the car was moved!

I fought the ticket. I explained to the judge what happened. The officer then got up and told the judge the other car was moving when I passed him. HE FLAT OUT LIED!!!!!!!! The judge then told me he had no choice but to believe an "officer of the court", and that if I continued to contest, he would find me guilty. He did let me plead no contest so that the fines would be lower. There are no good scumbags in every group!

On a brighter note, I was reading the newspaper a couple years later, when I ran across an article where old Officer ******* had been arrested on drug charges and was awaiting being fired and trial! Karma is a b****!!!!!!!

Bisch

[Hamshire]

That's B.S. If I was in the right, I'd fight it.