James Pearce Arrested - charges dropped

[swampfoxfan]

If you’re correct, it’s possible he simply couldn’t produce proof of insurance (insurance card) and was actually insured? So if he shows up in traffic court with proof of insurance, then the only charge would be speeding which again is a stupid reason to arrest someone. IMHO

If you are driving on a suspended license, you most likely will be arrested. When your license is suspended you are not covered by insurance.

 

[wildemanvol]

Has he been released? Has there been any comments or statements made by UT?

 

[Manchester Vol]

I said 1 game suspension! Not kick him off the team.

Make him sit on a stool in the center lane of I75 for 12 hours.

 

[cgrish]

Your point is well taken BUT there are some careers that it matters a ton! Maybe not fair but that's the way it is. I am retired from a profession if one of my guys got "in trouble" with enforcement it would be the lead story on the news every single time. I'd have this conversation with all of them constantly but inevitably some knucklehead would have a run in and create unwanted attention. Playing football, especially at Tennessee, just happens to be one of those careers. It does not matter how many "normal" citizens have done this. Fair? Probably not. But it goes with the high profile territory.

If you get stopped for driving on suspended license you will get arrested, unless maybe bama or ga player lol. And your name will be in the local paper or ir is in the county I live in, it has all who appear in court, and why they were in court.

 

[cgrish]

No I make them call a valid licensed driver to come pick them up. Do you think people should be taken to jail for license violations?

Yes I do, they will then get their license, and I would guess most of them do not have auto insurance as well.

 

[cgrish]

Or if the driver is acting like a prick which seemingly is the case here based on reports.

Or if the cop is doing what he is paid to do.

 

[cgrish]

What liability? If you see them leave with a licensed driver there is zero liability.

But what if when taken home, he gets back in the car, and has a wreck and kills someone, and it is on record he was stopped for driving on suspended license and not taken to jail?

 

[cgrish]

If you’re correct, it’s possible he simply couldn’t produce proof of insurance (insurance card) and was actually insured? So if he shows up in traffic court with proof of insurance, then the only charge would be speeding which again is a stupid reason to arrest someone. IMHO

He was arrested for driving on suspended license, not for speeding. Driving with suspended license will get you arrested, of course you can get bailed out very soon. But I don't think he should get kicked off of the team though. If that is all it was.

 

[Jaxon_Vol2017]

But what if when taken home, he gets back in the car, and has a wreck and kills someone, and it is on record he was stopped for driving on suspended license and not taken to jail?

There isn't a law in Tennessee that says you HAVE to arrest for driving charges. You write a citation and as long as he leaves with someone else driving there's zero liability.

 

[cgrish]

There isn't a law in Tennessee that says you HAVE to arrest for driving charges. You write a citation and as long as he leaves with someone else driving there's zero liability.

I am far from being an authority on the laws. As I understand you writing the citation covers the officer in any liability such as this? But I do know of people in Tn who were arrested for driving on suspended license.

 

[PinnerManning-_-]

Why was that not just a citation? I'm a cop and I VERY rarely arrest anyone for driving charges unless they were a total a-hole. Knoxville police must be ridiculous.

You must be new around here….
(KPD is indeed ass backwards)

 

[Jaxon_Vol2017]

I am far from being an authority on the laws. As I understand you writing the citation covers the officer in any liability such as this? But I do know of people in Tn who were arrested for driving on suspended license.

You can definitely arrest on any driving on suspended. It's officer's discretion basically. A lot depends on driving history and quite frankly your attitude while speaking to the cop. No history and a polite attitude, I'm not taking you to jail.

 

[TheVolsFrog]

There isn't a law in Tennessee that says you HAVE to arrest for driving charges. You write a citation and as long as he leaves with someone else driving there's zero liability.

This is the correct answer. IMO as long as it's their first offense call someone and come pick you up especially since I've seen dispatch come back suspended but look them up on the states on website and they come back valid lol. Citing them into court is just as good as taking them to jail IMO. They still have to answer to the judge. I'm of the opinion not every thing requires taking a person to jail. Now if they have a history of driving suspended or revoked then yeah take them because they've shown they just won't do right.

 

[TheVolsFrog]

I am far from being an authority on the laws. As I understand you writing the citation covers the officer in any liability such as this? But I do know of people in Tn who were arrested for driving on suspended license.

Discretion. That's why you know some that were arrested and some that aren't
Same as weed. Some guys will hook you over a joint, others will have you stomp it out and send you on your way.

 

[utvolpj]

"His cases were dismissed upon payment of costs, after he provided proof that he successfully obtained a driver's license," Deputy District Attorney Sean McDermott told Knox News.

 

[m1al]

It appears he wouldn't get out until ordered several times, didn't stay where he was told and walked back toward his vehicle, etc.

So he was/is ******* stupid.. Got it.

 

[bigdaddy]

Meh nothing burger. People get pulled over for speeding and no DL daily and it’s not news, neither is this

 

[VolInDayton]

We are back!

 

[walkenvol]

Could this have been he was using his North Carolina license and they were hassling a college student to obtain a Tennessee license? Speeding is speeding - if you do it, be prepared to pay the fine. The rest of this story seems very suspect to me.

 

[rocketskates]

Could this have been he was using his North Carolina license and they were hassling a college student to obtain a Tennessee license? Speeding is speeding - if you do it, be prepared to pay the fine. The rest of this story seems very suspect to me.

Nah I believe that his status was suspended. Meaning if he had a NC license it was suspended. Also, most states have exemptions for college students and military using their home state DL as they aren’t a permanent resident. It’s not uncommon for a defendant to show up to court and show paperwork that their license has been cleared up since their arrest and the DA dismissing the case. Happens all of the time. It’s a misdemeanor but it is also just a traffic offense.

 

[perico]

Wonder why his license was suspended in the first place? And who is stupid enough to speed while driving with a suspended license??

Years ago when I was in my 20s, I got a speeding ticket. On the morning of my court appearance, we had one of those big snowstorm. I called the courthouse and left a message explaining that I couldn’t get out of my driveway and left my number and contact information so that my court date could be rescheduled. Never heard a word back about it from them about what I was supposed to do.

Seven years later, I got pulled over for forgetting to wear my seatbelt in my neighborhood. I guess it was quota time because the officer came back and asked me if I was aware that my license had been suspended for the last few years and since it had been suspended for missing a court date, I was considered a flight risk so I ended up spending the next 8 hours trying to figure out how to post bail while sitting in an overcrowded holding cell.

They can suspend your license without notifying you over a technicality, and it is quite simple to go years without ever realizing it is suspended.