South Carolina LEO in VA

[davhina]

Check out this story...good thing boyfriend did not have a CHP or this could have turned out very badly.
What in the was this guy thinking?

From The Richmond Times-Dispatch: http://tinyurl.com/2urckd

Officer faces gun charges in I-81 incident

BY REX BOWMAN
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Feb 14, 2007

SALEM -- A South Carolina police officer used a gun to threaten a
female motorist on Interstate 81, Virginia State Police allege.

Officer Eric Cmeyla, 41, of the Greenville, S.C., Police Department
must appear in a Roanoke County court tomorrow on two counts of
brandishing a firearm, said state police Sgt. Bob Carpentieri.

Destinee Puckett, 18, of Vinton said yesterday that the incident took
place Sunday as she was driving south on I-81 at 60 mph -- the speed
limit along that stretch -- in the left lane.

The male driver behind her pulled up close to her bumper and grew
frustrated that he couldn't get around her, Puckett said, but traffic
was too thick for her to move into the right lane.

She said she looked behind her and saw the man holding a gun above his
steering wheel as he tailgated her. She said she was so rattled by the
sight that she hit her brakes, which led the driver's Volkswagen Jetta
to slam into her Nissan Maxima.

When they pulled over at Exit 140, Puckett said, the man tapped on her
window with the barrel of the gun, striking the window so hard the
glass chipped.

"I called 911," she said. "He said, 'I'm a cop; can I see your license
and registration?' He seemed to be mad that I was paying more
attention to 911 than to him, and he was getting frustrated.

"He was like, 'I can shoot you right now if I wanted to.' I told 911,
'He's threatening to shoot me.' And he said, 'No, no, no.' So 911 told
me to roll up my windows. But he put his hand over my window so I
couldn't roll it up.

"My boyfriend was sitting beside me. He was in shock."

Police arrived and arrested Cmeyla. He was released from custody on a
recognizance bond.

The Greenville Police Department released a statement saying Cmeyla
has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of his
arrest. The statement noted that Cmeyla has been with the department
for five months and is still in the department's training program.

Someone needs more training!

 

[carterbeauford]

so much for southern hospitality

 

[RNB65]

What in the was this guy thinking?

He's an arrogant a**hole are the first words that come to mind. I would have made every effort to change lanes, but if someone displayed a gun and then hit my car from behind an armed confrontation would definitely have occurred. He would have found himself face to muzzle with a Springer XD loaded with a whole bunch of +P JHP. Quick lane changes on I81 are usually a quick way to die.

 

[carterbeauford]

what part of I-81 are you referring to?

I drove my CMV to Front Royal between the WV line and I-66 yesterday and am not seeing the problems spoken of here and in the last thread on this.

 

[davhina]

what part of I-81 are you referring to?

I am not sure..was in Roanoke county..was just posting the story..does it matter, though, what part of any interstate that this occurred. Maybe check the richmond times link. It might give more info. I did not check the link.

 

[Lupinus]

ok first I want to know what good slamming on your breaks cause someone BEHIND you has a gun. Generaly I would think one would wanna get away, IE hit the gas.

And second what sort of idiot sits there talking to 911 while someone points a gun at them. Oh gee I will roll up my magic glass? No, agian hit the gas and get out of dodge.

Not saying he was right the guy needs to be thrown in jail. But our little princess aint the brightist crayon in the box either.

 

[SomeKid]

He was released from custody on a recognizance bond.

Wow. Wonder if we peons get that kind treatment.

our little princess aint the brightist crayon in the box either.

+1 Lup.

 

[Blue Line]

How bout Prinecess boyfriend that was in "Shock"! Duh

 

[Lupinus]

he was the brown crayon, or at least his pants were

 

[gezzer]

ok first I want to know what good slamming on your breaks cause someone BEHIND you has a gun.

Easy answer, think about how good you can drive after having your airbag blown in your face while holding a gun up on the steering wheel.

Stomping the brake can be a very good tactic, more so than high speed escape if you are not use to high speed.

 

[Lupinus]

geezer, I somehow get the fealing she didn't have a lightbulb moment and thing airbag.

I think it was more along the lines of "HOLY $%^&" paniced and slammed on ye old brakes

Also I don't think that plan involves pulling over and asking 911 what to do as he taps on your window with his gun.

 

[RNB65]

Richard Petty did the same some years ago, minus the gun. He was driving on the interstate in NC and didn't like the speed the driver in front of him was going, so he bumped the car from behind. Stupidity knows no limits.

 

[Art Eatman]

Aw, c'mon, RNB65. What's a little bump drafting between friends?

Art

 

[MarkDido]

Richard Petty did the same some years ago, minus the gun. He was driving on the interstate in NC and didn't like the speed the driver in front of him was going, so he bumped the car from behind. Stupidity knows no limits.

I think Petty was just drafting and the guy in front got a little wobbly!

 

[pacodelahoya]

Perhaps she wasn't the one that had been trained in high speed driving and evasive techniques.

Man, the 18 year old GIRL had a gun pointed at her, basically ran off the road and you guys are second guessing her?

Maybe you didn't mean it that way, but I suggest you reread your posts and look at how some of you come off!


I'll not even going to delve into the actions of the LEO.

 

[ScottsGT]

You know, this sounds like something my brother in law would do if he ever got on the police force. He actually applied to the Greenville PD. I'm glad he never got hired as a PO! He actually went to work as a Mall Ninja in Greenville, but lost that job for body slamming someone on the hood of their car for stealing a sweater.
I guess this guy slipped by the psyc. interview.....

 

[Lupinus]

soesn't run in the family does it scott?

Seriously I think there is something in the Greenville water supply.

 

[buzz_knox]

At least his career (hopefully) ended without bloodshed. We had someone similarly ill-equipped for the role of peace officer. This was amptly demonstrated when he responded to a domestic disturbance. The disabled vet whose home was the scene of the disturbance basically told the deputy to get lost and started hobbling away. The deputy shot him twice in the back, killing him.

The deputy was the son of the chief of detectives, so nothing happened except a charge of failing to file a police report and that only occurred after people protested at the courthouse. Once they figured out how to run off the protesters, the charges were dropped. The deputy stayed on the force until he resigned after lying in wait for other deputies and macing them when they came around a corner, in retaliation for their mocking him over the murder.

 

[ScottsGT]

soesn't run in the family does it scott?

Are you calling my wife a nut job?



....Well, she's close to it

 

[Lupinus]

Are you calling my wife a nut job?

Shes a woman aint she?

 

[ScottsGT]

Point well taken...........

 

[offthepaper]

Is'nt Va a CCW state?
I can't help but think what the story would be if she was packing and after the cop ran into the back of her after displaying the gun and she see's him approaching her car with gun in hand, irritated? Would she be justified in defending herself from this immidiate threat? Not sure what the state laws are there, but I could see such a scenario possibly coming out of this type of situation.
Any thoughts?

 

[RNB65]

Would she be justified in defending herself from this immidiate threat? Not sure what the state laws are there, but I could see such a scenario possibly coming out of this type of situation.

The area where this occurred is politically very conservative. Based on what I've read about the case, if she had plugged the guy in the chest a couple of times, it probably would be submitted to the local grand jury for review but I seriously doubt that they would indict. Shooting an irate person rushing towards you with a gun in hand would almost certainly be ruled justifiable self-defense.

 

[Jim K]

The same thing happened in Anne Arundel County, MD. Also a rookie cop.

Apparently police departments are interpreting requirements to diversify as meaning they need to hire a certain percentage of criminals and rapists.

Jim

 

[Beatnik]

Yeah, here's a thought about that:
Cop walks up to car with gun.
Cop eats a lead salad.
Woman and boyfriend both spend eternity in a don't-drop-the-soap prison because it's only their word about why they killed a cop.

Virginia's a CCW state and we're on the front line. We're next door to DC and Maryland and we've got story after story appearing about gun rights these days. It's only a matter of time before this actually happens.