CEO Gets Speeding Ticket (91/35) While Test Driving A Super Car (And Couldn’t Care Less)

Claus Ettensberer, CEO of CEC, a luxury car accessories company, was lucky enough to be able to test drive a Lexus LFA, a sports car with a starting price of $375,000.  The FLA has a 4.8 liter V10 engine 9,000 maximum RPM, 202 mph top speed, and goes 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds.

While test driving the LFA for 20 minutes in a residential neighborhood, Claus was stopped and issued a speeding ticket for 91/35.   As the photo and video show, he couldn’t care less about it.  He even thinks it’s funny taking a smiling photo with the issuing police officer Perhaps, when he sees the judge, he’ll feel differently.

In New York, this would be an 11-point ticket in New York and could result in a suspension even with an otherwise clean record.  In fact, in most parts of the state, up to 15 days in jail could be imposed.  The fine, surcharge and driver assessment fee for such a ticket is over a $1,000 (not that Claus has to worry about such pocket change).  In fact, Claus likely would have faced more serious charges such as reckless driving or reckless endangerment, and had his car impounded.

By the way, his speed, while high, is no where near the record speeding ticket of 242 mph.

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NBA Star Charged With Speeding 100 MPH+

Tyreke Evans is fast becoming an NBA star.  Having finished his first pro season averaging over 20 ppg for the Sacromento Kings, winning the 09/10 NBA Rookie Of The Year award and being selected to play on Team USA this summer.  Evans is only the fourth player (the others being Michael Jordan, LeBron James  and Oscar Robertson) in NBA history to average at least 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in his rookie season.

He apparently also likes to drive fast having been pulled over on Memorial Day for speeding more than 100 mph.  Because his 2010 Mercedes Benz S550 has heavily tinted windows, the arresting officers approached his vehicle with guns drawn.

Evans was issued a reckless driving ticket by a California Highway Patrol officer, and then released.

In New York, speeding 100+ is an 11-point speeding ticket, the most points you can get for a moving violation and place Mr. Evans in jeopardy of being suspended.  However, a reckless driving ticket is even worse.  While it only carries 5 points, it is also a criminal charge (misdemeanor) in New York.

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Professional Race Car Driver Gets Speeding Ticket Before Indy 500

Professional race car driver Tomas Scheckter was stopped and issued a speeding ticket this Memorial Day weekend, just 2 days before he was to assume the 20th pole position in yesterday’s Indianapolis 500.

Scheckter was cruising down Interstate 65 in Indianapolis, where the speed limit is 55 miles per hour, alleged going over 100 mph.

Police also say that Scheckter was weaving in and out of traffic.  Rather than receiving a reckless driving ticket or being arrested, Scheckter was  given preferential treatment by being issued only a ticket for speed unreasonably prudent, which carries a fine of $175 to $500.

By the way, the extra practice didn’t help Scheckter too much.  He ended up finishing 15th in the Indy 500.

In case you are interested, our traffic ticket law firm has represented professional race car drivers, actors (including an Oscar-nominated actor) and Broadway stars.  Fortunately, we were able to keep their exploits out of the media spotlight and we are able to obtain favorable results for them.

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Khloe Kardashian Answers A Seven-Year Old Speeding Ticket

Khloe Kardashian, best known for being the sister to super hot Kim Kardashian, is in trouble again.   She failed to answer a speeding ticket issued 7 years ago.  A Los Angeles judge was lenient on her, however, recalling a bench warrant issued against her and only imposing a $200 court fee.

Back in 2007, Khloe was convicted of driving while intoxicated and sentenced to 36 months probation plus community service in the form of picking of (appropriately) trash. Khloe had a blood alcohol level of .13 ( the legal limit in California and New York is .08 ).  Khloe pushed her luck too far by violating probation and ended up serving time in the “Big House” for violating her probation.  Even her well known defense lawyer father Robert Kardashian (remember the OJ trial?) couldn’t keep her.  At the time, she was in the midst of appearing on Celebrity Apprentice and, when Donald Trump her about the violation, he promptly fired her from the show.

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Vikings RB Adrian Peterson Gets A 109 MPH Speeding Ticket

Star Minnesota Vikings Adrian Peterson runs fast and apparently also drives fast.  He was issued a speeding ticket this past Saturday for going 109 mph in a 55 mph zone in his BMW.

In New York, this would be an 11-point ticket, the most severe moving violation in the state, and could result in suspension of his license.  It could also result in 3o days in jail.  What happens to “Purple Jesus” by the State of Minnesota (and by the NFL), will be interesting to see.

Update:  The rumor that Peterson was speeding to get away from a mad Viking chick with a golf club has yet to be corroborated.

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I Have A Secret

Jets Huddling Up Prior To Home Opener Against The Patriots

I have a secret.  I’ve kept it quiet for 5 weeks but can no longer contain myself.  I’ve been cheating on you, my readers.  Not another woman … rather another blog.  Since the beginning of the season, I have been blogging for NFL.com about the New York Jets.

I am a die-hard Jets fan and watch every game anyway. So, when the opportunity arose, I asked why not?

Anyway, I “come out of the closet” now because my most recent Jets post allowed me to call upon my knowledge of traffic law and speeding ticket.   In a post called “Edwards Brings Baggage“, I discussed the Jets’ recent trade acquisition Braylon Edwards including his lead-footed past.  Below is the post.

“I am as excited as any Jets fan about the acquisition of Braylon Edwards. In fact, I am too excited. I haven’t been this excited about a trade since the Mets got Gary Carter. In fact, I am already on record predicting that he will provide a huge boost to the Jets’ offense. With that said, we need to keep in mind that Edwards has a dark side that must be kept in check if he is going to reach his full potential for Gang Green.

In March 2009, Edwards was out drinking with Donte Stallworth (allegedly running up a $2,500 bar tab) the night of Stallworth’s tragic vehicular homicide in Miami. Stallworth ran over a 59-year old pedestrian with his Bentley. Surely, Edwards could have gotten involved in stopping his teammate from driving while intoxicated.

Last November, he was found guilty of speeding 120 mph. Now, when I am not blogging for the Jets, I run a law firm that fights traffic tickets throughout New York. I can tell you that out of the thousands of tickets we defend each year, we RARELY see someone with such a high speed. Such conduct shows immaturity, disrespect for the law and total disregard the safety of himself and others. Indeed, such a speed can be punishable with jail time, so don’t think of this as just a simple traffic violation.

Then just this week, Edwards was charged with punching a diminutive Edward Givens in downtown Cleveland during the early morning hours following the Browns’ overtime loss to Cincinnati. Givens is only 5-7 and 130 pounds so this was anything but a fair fight (allegedly instigated by Edwards) against the 6-3 and 215-pound Edwards. Givens is a friend of Cleveland Cavs star LeBron James and it has been said that Edwards was motivated by jealousy of LeBron’s stardom. Edwards has publicly spoken out about LeBron on a few occasions including chastising Lebron for wearing Dallas Cowboy garb at a Browns home game.

Jets fans, don’t be surprised if Commissioner Roger Goodell disciplines Edwards for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy for this incident. Indeed, don’t be surprised if a one- or two-game suspension is handed down.”

What do you think?  Pretty good for a traffic lawyer?

In any event, of the 1,000s of speeding tickets which my firm has defended, we’ve only had a handful as high as Braylon Edward’s 120 mph ticket.  It therefore makes me happy that the Jets can upgrade their wide receiving corps while at the same time bring to town a potential client.

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New Way To Avoid A Speeding Ticket?

Cop Shakes Hands With The Governor Instead Of Issuing A Speeding Ticket

It is quite common for someone to try and talk their way out of a speeding ticket.  I’m late for work.  I have to get to the bathroom.  Etc, etc.

But one South Carolina man actually came up with a novel excuse, and it worked.  A Highway Patrol Trooper stopped a dark-colored sedan along the heavily-trafficked Interstate 385 for speeding but let him go without a speeding ticket.  Apparently, the man was speeding 85/65.

When asked why he was going so fast, the driver said that he was transporting the Governor.  After the officer peered into confirm that the Governor South Carolina was, indeed, his passenger, and after shaking the Governor’s hand, he let the driver go without even a warning.

Governor Mark Sanford is best known for going AWOL in South America to continue an affair he was having with an Argentinian woman.  State lawmakers may even try to impeach the Republican governor who has about 15 months left in his term. Ironically, in 2006, Sanford’s office was highly critical of the lieutenant governor when the Highway Patrol twice stopped him for speeding but did not issue tickets.

This incident is reminiscent of New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine‘s April 2007 car accident where he sustained critical injuries as a passenger failing to wear his seat belt.  The Governor had been a huge proponent and public image of the “click it or ticket” campaign resulting in 100s of New Jersey drivers receiving traffic tickets for failing to wear a seat belt.  Like Sanford’s driver, Corzine was not issued a summons despite not wearing a seat belt.

Click here to see a video of the Sanford traffic stop.

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Hugh Jackman Gets A New York Drivers License

Going to traffic court is usually a boring and mudane experience. However, recently surprised motorists in Staten Island saw “Wolverine” star Hugh Jackman stop by the local DMV to take his road test. Supposedly the 41-year old actor passed and then celebrated at a nearby deli.

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Rapper Andre 3000 Issued A Speeding Ticket For Going 109 MPH

Rapper Andre 3000 was recently bust for speeding 109 mph in a 65-mph limit.  As part of Outkast, Andre 3000 was a Grammy and mutiple hits.  The traffic offense occurred in Henry County, Georgia.

Andre 3000 of OutKast with his Cadillac Escalade

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