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Police: Grandmother Arrested At McDonald’s Drive-Thru For Not Pulling Car Forward – Orlando News Story – WKMG Orlando — The Clearwater coppers must be proud of this bust. Hey boys, you do know there is real crime in Florida too, right? |
A 75-year-old woman was arrested at a Clearwater McDonald’s drive-thru, because police say she wouldn’t pull her car forward.
Authorities said Jean Merola, a grandmother of eight, was arrested for disorderly conduct after she refused an officer’s orders to move her car while she waited for the coffee and fries she ordered at the drive-through window.
Merola said the McDonald’s employees told her to wait there for her food.
Merola was handcuffed behind her back and put in the cruiser.
Hmm… shall listen to the cop or shall I listen to the McDonald’s guy?
Those wacky, septugenarian Floridanians!
He was just trying to hit on the GILF.
The American police really should understand they are law enforcement officers, they are not the Law themselves. What law was she breaking by waiting ? And the officer told her to move, what law states you should do what police officer tell you to do, other than in their enforcement of a law. Ridiculous. Another point off the land of the free and the taxed.
#4 – Scott – What law was she breaking by waiting ?
She delayed the police from getting their burgers.
Another point off the land of the free and the taxed.
If you want lower taxes, you might want to move to Haiti. Don’t worry, you’ll get your money’s worth of public service, such as great roads, good public schooling and a great police force.
Well, all I’ve read is the Header==but the law she broke was disorderly conduct. Obviously MacDonalds called the cops to move her along? She was blocking traffic and the revenue per hour of this business.
What is freedom except the right to run your business the way you see fit?
When invited by the owner of a business to leave the premises or to move, and you do not, you can be charge with disorderly conduct and/or trespass.
So, too easy to assume macho cop and befuddled old person, and I do assume a bit of both===but the business owner should be more self enlightened? Florida? Nevermind.
#4 – Scott
“And the officer told her to move, what law states you should do what police officer tell you to do, other than in their enforcement of a law.”
Exactly so. I suspect this case is going to come down to that very issue: most places, the law is clear – you are compelled by law to obey the directives of a legitimate law enforcement officer, but if and only if those orders serve a compelling law enforcement need.
Not just because some jerkoff with a badge can’t be bothered to wait for his QP with cheese.
Yeah, those old grandmothers are never unwieldy. This is all the cops fault. I’m sure they were right on the scene and didn’t show up 5 minutes after getting a call that she was blocking the drive thru.
If this blog were around 50 years ago, it’d have said,’ Idiot Eisenhower sends in federals troops to get old guy out of schoolhouse door.
McD’s told her to park wrong, cop wanted her to move, so why not move? When they ask for ID & registration, give it up: that’s procedure.
Duh!
That’s it! I’m never going to McDonald’s again!
Ha ha, what am I saying? I can’t keep my hands off the stuff!
They should have tasered her.
Usually with these stories, when you read the link it starts to make a little more sense. But not this one.
One, the grannie driver must have been nuts for simply not pulling foward.
Secondly, the cops were nuts for arresting her.
Duh?
Let’s see who needs to say duh, huh?
“McD’s told her to park wrong”
They can tell her to park any fucking where they want – it’s their property, not city property. Parking laws do not apply.
“cop wanted her to move”
…because HE was PERSONALLY INCONVENIENCED – not because any law was broken. If she broke no law, then what he wants means no more than what any other citizen wants. Which means for the cop, ‘tough shit.’
“…so why not move?”
Why the fuck should she? ‘Because somebody with a badge said so’ is not good enough – except in a police state.
“When they ask for ID & registration, give it up: that’s procedure.”
Not on fucking private property it isn’t. And not when you haven’t violated any law on that same private property.
She wasn’t witnessed operating her car on a public street – she doesn’t even have to HAVE a driver’s license OR registration.
So, now we see that ‘duh’ is the right word after all…
“One, the grannie driver must have been nuts for simply not pulling foward.
Secondly, the cops were nuts for arresting her.”
The dopey old battleaxe was guilty of being a pain in the ass.
I just checked the Florida Penal Code and it turns out that being a pain in the ass is not a crime. But, strangely enough, abusing your authority as a peace officer is. Ain’t that some shit?
Theirs a happy meal joke in their somewhere…
Maybe she was blocking the police in and they had an emergency call?
Hey Kelly, Perhaps shes old and senile or the cops just need a coffee fix.
I’m sure she wet her depends.
I see some people have not work with the aged. If she anything like my Gran I would have shot her. just joking 🙂
#6, boobo,
Well, all I’ve read is the Header==but the law she broke was disorderly conduct. Obviously MacDonalds called the cops to move her along? She was blocking traffic and the revenue per hour of this business.
Next time try reading more than the header. Try the article.
She did not break any law.
So, did Merola break the law by cursing a cop?
“You have an absolute First Amendment right to use that type of language to a police officer,” said Largo criminal defense lawyer John Trevena. “It might be discourteous, but it’s not illegal.”
How about asking to be told what you’ve done wrong before handing over identification?
“If he’s conducting a criminal investigation, you have to produce it,” Trevena said. “If he’s just irritated … then that’s not lawful.”
It would have been up to the manager to ask her to move, not the cop or a private citizen. There was nothing to indicate McDonald’s asked her to move or leave.
The cop had been behind her in line. The staff told her to park where she did.
She was unable to pull ahead because there was a curb. SHE ended being boxed in by the cop so she could not leave.
The cop purposely aggravated her by calling his supervisor to suggest she was demented.
I don’t think McDonald’s will even want to be involved.
For the sake of Clearwater’s taxpayers, may we hope she is satisfied with the Mayor’s apology.
#19:
Thanks for the update!
Nice to read what really happened.
“Don’t taze me BRO!”
#11 Chuck – I was thinking that myself! LOL
#19 Three Headed Cat – You are right when you read the story it is clear who is at fault here – the idiot cop. Thanks for the link.
By the way…are you “Mistard Mustard”? I caught a “Pfffft” on one of your posts.
I haven’t seen any posts by “Lauren the Ghoti” lately as well even though I trolled for Mac fanboys recently (Apple Zoolander Air and iToast)… Another alias maybe? 😉
Another thing which makes DU so interesting. 🙂
Cheers
I love it when people say they do not have to obey an cop. You may be right moraly and legaly. But they have the power and will not hesitate to use it. You may win your lawsuit but you may be bubbas girlfriend in the county lockup till they decide to let you go.
#24 You should know by your age that giving up on what is just for what is convenient ensures the continuation of injustice.
Yep, arguing with a cop is like arguing with a wall … pretty pointless.
#25 –
“You should know by your age that giving up on what is just for what is convenient ensures the continuation of injustice.”
Thank you, Li. Couldn’t’ve said it better.
Welcome to the Police State of America, where the police do not have to obey the law, they ARE the law!
Bad cop, no donut!
The other side’s story:
http://www.sptimes.com/2008/01/22/Northpinellas/Flip_side_is_told_in_.shtml
I would recommend to all readers to give your thoughts and opinions to the Clearwater Mayor and City Council at: http://www.clearwater-fl.com/contact/City_Feedback_Form.asp?dept=City+Council&deptname=Mayor%20%26%20City%20Council