the town i got pulled over in is like 2 hours away.
here's what i wrote to the court:
October 20, 2003
Municipal Court
408 North Main
Rusk, Texas 75785-1332
Re: 10/11/03 Traffic Citation
Dear Sir or Madam:
My name is William Travis Kitchens. I am seventeen years old, and currently a freshman at Angelina College in Lufkin, Texas. I am writing this letter in compliance with the instructions given to me over the phone on October 14, 2003 by the Municipal Court. I have been informed that of two things could happen: either this letter could convince you to dismiss the citation, or the letter would be ineffective and I would have to pay the fine associated with the citation.
On Saturday, October 11, 2003, I traveled to Tyler with Josue Elizondo in his 1999 Honda Civic. Mr. Elizondo was tired from having worked the night before, so I agreed to drive his vehicle. At the time that I agreed to drive his vehicle, I was unaware that he did not have an updated insurance card, as well as that he had failed to have his car inspected on time. At 3:43 P.M. in Rusk, we were pulled over in Rusk by Officer Hughes for having no front license plate on the vehicle. I provided Officer Hughes with my valid Texas driver’s license (#19546096), along with what I thought was Mr. Elizondo’s current Proof-Of-Insurance card. Unfortunately, Mr. Elizondo’s insurance card was expired, as he had mistakenly left his current insurance card at his residence in Lufkin, Texas. Mr. Elizondo had also failed to have his vehicle inspected in July, as he is required by law to do. After consenting to a search of the vehicle, I was issued a citation for Expired Motor Vehicle Inspection and No Proof of Financial Responsibility.
Because the vehicle was not mine, these two factors were out of my control. I worked from November of 2002 until August of 2003 (when I started college) at a Law Firm in Groveton, Texas, and am fully aware of Texas’ traffic laws. My personal vehicle is kept in compliance with Texas law at all time. However, because I was driving the vehicle, I was issued the citation. To me, this seems unfair. Granted, I was driving, so I was responsible, but I had no idea that the violations that I was cited for were present. Had I known Mr. Elizondo was not in possession of his Proof of Insurance card, or that his vehicle was not inspected, I would have not consented to driving his vehicle.
At the scene of the traffic stop, I was informed by Officer Hughes that I could more than likely have the citation dismissed if I wrote a letter, showed Proof of Liability Insurance which would have been valid on the date of the traffic stop, got the vehicle inspected and provided you with a receipt from the inspection. During my October 14, 2003 telephone
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Municipal Court
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conference with the Municipal Court, I was informed same by the Municipal Court. Pursuant to your request, I have enclosed a Texas Liability Insurance Card valid from 9/28/03 – 10/28/03, as well as a receipt from Texas Muffler in Lufkin, Texas for the inspection of the vehicle.
As I have done everything that I can in my power to comply with your requests/orders, I urge you to dismiss the citation against me. As stated above, the circumstances which led to the citation were out of my control. I await your response, so that I can get this matter taken care of as soon as possible.
Respectfully Yours,
William T. Kitchens