Legal Question
New Member
- Jurisdiction
- Maine
I woke up this morning and went to get into my car to go to work. As I went outside, a police officer stated/asked my name and when I replied "yes?", she walked up to me (on my property) and asked if I'd driven past a school bus recently while the bus stop lights were on. I said no, but I'm not he only one that drives my car. She said that a bus driver saw a man with glasses in a car of my car's description with my license plate drive past the bus while the lights were on. I told her this didn't occur and the driver must have been mistaken, but again I'm not the only one that drives my vehicle. I told her I'm not usually in that area during that time of day anyway. She had already written and ticket before talking to me, so she just handed me the ticket ($326) and stated she was charging me and I was lucky it wasn't a misdemeanor charge. I told her I would contest the charge since I didn't do this. After my encounter with the officer concluded, I looked at my calendar and realized I actually had dropped my daughter off at school on the date in question. However, since that was the only day I've driven her to school thus far this year, I remembered that day clearly and I remember that there were lots of cars, kids and buses, but no buses with their lights on or a stop sign out. I'm certain I didn't do what the bus driver and police officer are accusing me of and I'm concerned, because the police officer had written the ticket ahead of time and assumed I was guilty just from the word of the bus driver. What should I do? Due to the increasing cost of living and COVID, I'm already struggling to climb out of debt and I can't afford a lawyer, let alone the ticket.
Thanks!
Thanks!