Failure to Stop at Red Traffic Light Ticket

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Scryed

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I'm not sure what to do about a ticket I received about a week or so ago and I could use some advice.

I was on my way to work and I was in a right turn lane about to turn onto a ramp to merge into the highway. As I approached, I saw that the light was red, but that the people getting off the highway (to the right of me) were turning left. I know that I stopped because I can vividly recall the appearance of a pedestrian that was standing to the right of me. While the other cars were still turning left, I went ahead and made my right turn onto the ramp. Just a little ways up the ramp were 3-4 police cars and the officers were out of their vehicles and one of them flagged me down. I thought this was bizarre and wondered if they were going to search my car or something. The officer that flagged me down told me he was pulling me over for not stopping at the red light. I thought he meant because I'd made a right on red, because I knew I'd stopped. While the officer was talking to me, the others were also flagging people down. I don't think most people realized that they were supposed to pull over and be ticketed for something, because a lot of people just drove past and I could hear the other officers yelling at them to stop. It really was an odd scene.

Anyway, I don't know if I should request a mitigation hearing and hope that they'll give me a deferral, or if I should try to contest the ticket. I'm not sure how this works, but I doubt that a judge would believe me over a police officer and I don't have witnesses. I really don't want this to go on my record and affect my insurance rates. I haven't been ticketed in over eight years. It seems I have to appear in court either way, I'm just not sure which way I should go now.

The statutue code listed is RCW 46.61.055 and it's for the state of Washington, King County. Any advice is appreciated!
 
Did you go back and recheck that intersection to find out if there is a sign stating "No right turn on Red" or if the traffic signal has a red right turn arrow? If either of these are true than you are in violation.

If there is no sign then I would go to court and tell my side and ask for traffic school. The judge will likely not believe you over the officer but if the officer realized he was mistaken he might not show up
 
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