DASH-CAM VIDEO: Trooper, Officer Ticketed For Alleged Speeding
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DASH-CAM VIDEO: Trooper, Officer Ticketed For...
OSP releases dash-cam video Friday after an off-duty trooper and off-duty officer were ticketed for allegedly driving nearly 150 mph on I-70.
OSP
OSP releases dash-cam video after an off-duty trooper and off-duty officer were ticketed for allegedly driving nearly 150 mph on I-70.
NEWARK, Ohio—The Ohio State Highway Patrol released video Friday after an off-duty trooper and off-duty officer were ticketed for allegedly driving nearly 150 mph on an interstate highway.
NBC 4’s Patrick Preston reported with the FAST FACTS.
An OSP radar plane clocked the men allegedly going those speeds, and troopers made the traffic stop.
The video was taken by two troopers’ cruisers.
Authorities said off-duty state trooper Jason Highsmith, 35, was clocked going 147 mph on Interstate 70, east of Columbus, where the speed limit is 65 mph.
Authorities said Christopher Thomas, 33, was clocked going 149 mph on I-70.
The incident happened Sunday, June 28.
Thomas has been on injured leave from the Gahanna police department since last December after he slipped and fell on ice.
Thomas continues to receive pay and benefits, including vacation time.
Here’s an abbreviated transcript of the dash-cam video:
Trooper Bryan Lee: “Either one of you have anything on you I need to know about?”
“No sir. A couple badges is all,” one of the motorcyclists said.
(Highsmith does most of the talking on the video, but it was unclear which one of the two men were responding each time.)
The conversation with Trooper Bryan Lee changed tone.
Lee: “What’s your name? Bryan. You? Highsmith. Did you say Highsmith? Yeah. I think you were at the academy when I was there. Did I train you? I think you beat the [expletive] out of the guy who had me. Oww.”
“You gotta do what you gotta do, man. We were pushing it today.”
The men shake hands and laugh and joke about the speeding.
Lee: “You’re a motorcycle cop? What? How fast were you going?”
Highsmith said they were driving in an open stretch. And Lee apparently took him at his word, despite traffic in the background.
“If you guys don’t mind, just tell them we’re a bunch of cops. Don’t tell them I’m a trooper ’cause that will get back.”
Lee turned off his audio before ever discussing the possibility of a ticket, of a reckless driving charge or even asking if the men were racing.
They talk another four minutes, exchange handshakes and drive away. No paperwork was filled out. Driver’s licenses weren’t checked.
A third motorcyclist also was part of the group but was not clocked on radar and was not ticketed.
An OSP spokesperson said Lee’s microphone should have remained on during the entire traffic stop and the issue will be addressed later.
As for the joking and lack of questions about reckless driving and racing, OSP said no two traffic stops are alike and the speeding charge was explained.
Four days later, troopers issued Highsmith a ticket, and eight days later Thomas was issued a citation.
Neither man has been charged with reckless driving currently.
Highsmith entered a plea of not guilty before Licking County Municipal Court Judge David Branstool Wednesday.
Branstool said the lack of charges didn’t matter and that he could use his discretion to suspend Highsmith’s license for as much as three years for driving in reckless circumstances.
“I don’t expect the court to have any leniency. What I did was 100 percent wrong. I made a mistake,” Highsmith said in court.
One Columbus defense attorney said he thinks the case will be scrutinized heavily.
“I think it’s going to have a big ripple effect for criminal defense attorneys,” Michael Probst said.
Probst said his clients have been charged with reckless driving for going 20 miles over the speed limit.
He said he’s never had a client drive 147 miles per hour, and he said he thinks fellow lawyers will cite the officers’ case in contesting reckless driving charges against their clients.
“I absolutely think that local criminal defense attorneys will point to this case, especially considering that they’re police officers,” Probst.
Thomas was expected in court next week.
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Reader Reactions
you got that right!
Fsa0033 are you freakin kidding me?
I don’t care what you think they need to do to hone their driving skills they had no reason what so ever to be driving like that and should lose their badge for it.
I Race at these kinds of speeds about every other week during the summer but I do it on a race track.
There isn’t as reasonable excuse for doing nearly 150mph on the street, At that speed they are not only endangering themselves but others as well. If you were any kind of professional driver you would “GET IT” and not act like nobody else does.
You sir don’t get it.
They had no reason to sharpen any skills on a public road, If they are involved in a high speed chase they better know to back off long before they reach that kind of speed.
All the idiot cops that think it’s ok to chase someone with no regard for the general public should not even have a badge. They lack common sense and should not have a badge or a gun.
there needs to be something done about them not only the officers who were driving 150mph (give or take)but the officers who laughed about it and did nothing to take action. first off if it were a person with out a badge that were doing it i whole hartedly agree that yes we would have been riped off the bike and put in the car second what makes me really mad is that the man on the bike(not sure of the names) had the NERVE to drop the fact that he had a badge on him… he was looking for a break! i think that pisses me off the most. so b/c YOU have a badge YOU can go and do what ever you want? well let me just say this…. if that officer was going 150mph and so much as made my children cry going past my car.. i would have made it my personal goal (cop or not) to make sure that they were put away. so what can he wave his magic badge and bring back the family that he could possiable have killed by going that fast because if that is what he means by “just some badges” then i MAY consider it. untill then if they need MY sig. to make sure that something (which is too little but well settle for what we can get i guess) is done to them for there actions ill be glad to drive 100miles (at the speed limit) to make sure i sighn!
Some of you just don’t get it. I’m not condoning that these guys get off from their consequences. I’m just saying that troopers, ambulance drivers, police pursuit qualified, air-cops need to press the limits to keep their skills up. There are some of us that are trained to do a lot more than what is limited by law to accomplish duties beyond normal expectations. Those of us that are trained know our limits. Whenever possible we go beyond limits either on tracks, closed courses, or outside city limits. I’ve gone over 740mph (near mach 1) about 100ft above ground level. Normally that is not recommended but what do you do when an aggressor is on your tail. You don’t find out if you have the nerve when it actually happens. You practice slowly and build up the nerve and reactions. Highspeed chase cops just don’t experience down and dirty pursuits right out the gate with no experience of speed. That would scare the “c” out of anyone. Oh, sarchasm of letting shop-lifters hone their skills, let’s just pass that by. Let’s keep to the subject. I know a lot of you don’t appreciate my comments but I’ve seen novices get creamed just because they don’t practice. Yes, these guys were in heavy traffic, shame on them but in the same respect, I’m sure these guys would be the ones I would count on in a high-pursuit to not get anyone killed.
So, you need to hone your skills. I guess a shoplifter needs to “hone their skills” as well so it should be completely legal for them to shoplift as well. Right?
There is an important phrase that comes to mind for anyone that runs in emergency situations (which if you are off duty on your personal vehicle would not apply) and that is DUE REGARD FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. For anyone who thinks that their actions were justified look into that, and if you can honestly state that what they did was in line with this if they were on duty (which they were not) I will be convinced that you are completely lost.
Also, why was there no ID check, or a sobriety check? And I’ll stop anyone’s “you can’t be drunk and drive that fast,“ and ask how many people get that invincibility syndrome when they’ve had a few.
fsa0033, im sorry u took it personal but i wasnt refering to “your driving”. I was i was refering to the fact that your ignorant enough to think the deserve no punishment and that they were in total control. I again do not care about your driving history nor theirs, i have had a defensive driving class every year for 10 years now, does this mean i cant kill myself or somebody else while speeding? NO IT DOES NOT. Ur military backround is no more a factor than them being cops. And as for me and my “mom” friends, we arent afraid of speed as i said before its people like u who think they can handle anything! thats how most of our patients end up in our ambulance! So again its not u that im commenting on personally, its the fact that u think they should not be punished. If the state wants to build them a track, thats great, keeps the high speed where it needs to be. OFF THE PUBLC HIGHWAYS!!!!!!
9smom, some of us can drive. Maybe you or some of your mom friends may not be able to handle it. If you read my total comment, make them a circuit track. I do the limit where ever I go. Which means if the limit is 25 then I go 25. I’m the jerk that everyone honks at because I do the limit. If I’m able to press it on roads that limit me to 75 then I do. If my car can’t handle it or if I’m not sharp that day then I do my own lower speed limit. I know what I can and can’t do. If there is an ego, the military did it. I was trained to perform at any speed that my vehicle whether it be aircraft or ground mover can handle along with my capabilities. I do adhere to the law. So, stop fuming over those of us that are sharper than most of you. Some day I may fall into your category of easiness. When those guys chase a criminal I would hope they don’t lose their nerve and panic like most inexperienced drivers. It takes a cool head and strength to handle a vehicle at high speeds. They need practice. Enough said.
Good catch ‘Fair-Balanced’, I was refering to the Columbus City Code which is a 4 degree misdemeanor on the fisrt offense for reckless-op. Additionally, I have no idea why I added a “w” to reckless. Anywho, I never wrote under the ORC, when I worked for the great city of Columbus I always wrote under CCC. (Usually the ORC and CCC mirror each other; not so in this case) I should have clarified; but it is interesting to know that the City has a more strict policy then the State.
The trooper will have his day soon and knowing OSP he is gone. Thomas has don this in the past like in 2002-03 he was put in internal affairs for trying to buy beer after 1am at a gas station with his badge telling the clerk it will be ok. Also texting on his way to a call slamming into the back of another cruiser this is just a little of what you dont know. This wont go away so stop trying to get rid of it. THOMAS IS A LOOSER shirts the system and wants all the pay half the job. This is his 4-5th disability claim.
fsa0033. I hope u dont buy that crap u wrote…if u do i think ur license should be revoked because of stupidity! Nobody said they are afraid of speed, the problem is where it was. I love nascar and racing of all kinds, ON A RACE TRACK! Who cares about ur driving history?? The best drivers in the world can have an accident(Dale Earnhardt) it happens, u cant stop it no matter how good u think u r. Your profession has no effect on it either, i can get away with speeding when i run lights and sirens, does that mean i wont or cant hurt somebody?? NO! High rates of speed are cool, on a race track. So get off ur ego trip of how many countries u have driven in and look at the big picture here, they couldve killed someone or themselves. It was foolish and dangerous even they said so in the article. Maybe not in those exact words but they both know how dangerous it really was.
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