Senator Barron Explains his Side of the Story

Today in the Dekalb Co. Times Journal Senator Lowell Barron explains his side of the speeding ticket story.

In Florida near the state line, I came up on a motorcycle and passed the motorcycle.

“The motorcycle came right up on me with his high beams on. I drove a ways and tapped my break lights to try and get him to back off and he would not. I sped up and he sped up. I sped up and he sped up some more.”

“This was a very isolated area,” Barron said. “I became concerned for my safety and maintained my speed. Finally when I got to Andalusia I was relieved to be at a town. When I got to Andalusia, I was pulled over by three or four officers.”

Barron said he was pulled over by Andalusia officers. The plain clothes man on the motorcycle started yelling at him, Barron said.

“He said, ‘if you’re not going to give him a ticket, I will,’” Barron said. “He comes up and chews me out a second time. I listened and did not respond. The Andalusia police did not write me a ticket. This plain clothes officer wrote me two tickets. I don’t know what his jurisdiction is. I have an attorney working on that.”

Barron said he learned the plain clothes man was Blaine Wilson, and an elected official told him Wilson was a former police office but now is a radio disc jockey.

Wilson said Monday he quit the Andalusia police department in December to take over ownership of the radio station. He also said he is a part-time police officer for the city.

However, Deborah Spivey, human resource officer with the city of Andalusia, said Wilson resigned as an officer in December. Andalusia Police Chief Wilbur Williams said Wilson should have been transferred to part-time but that never happened. Wilson is not employed by the city.

Williams said he believes the tickets will stand.

If Senator Barron's recounting of what happened is accurate then I do not blame him for not pulling over. I wouldn't have either.

Sen. Lowell Barron tries to outrun Hell's Angels...sort of

WSFA 12
By Eileen Jones - bio | email

MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - One of the most powerful members of the Alabama legislature has a court day in Covington County. State Senator Lowell Barron was caught speeding late Sunday night right outside of Andalusia. WSFA 12 News has learned that Barron was issued two traffic tickets and police say one of the incidents could have been far more serious than it seems.

Andalusia's Chief of Police says Senator Barron was driving at speeds so excessive they went beyond receiving a regular speeding ticket. Instead, Barron was ticketed for reckless driving. Because that's still a serious charge, it means the senator must go before a judge and according the Covington County Clerk's office that violation also carries an automatic suspension of his driver's license.

Barron also received a ticket for running a stop sign and a warning for reckless endangerment. According to the Chief of Police, that warning means he came close to endangering the lives of others and that would have been criminal violation.

Barron said he was speeding at excessive speeds because he was trying to get away from someone who looked like he was a member of Hell's Angels. He said the officer was in plain clothes, had his high beams on, pursued him for 30 or 40 miles and because he was in a deserted isolated area Barron said he was afraid to pull over for fear he might have a gun. So, Barron said, he decided to speed up.

Police say no alcohol was involved. Barron is set to appear before a Covington County judge on September 16th.

Ummm....I didn't know we had Hell's Angels in Alabama. Wow...you learn something new every day. One has to wonder how the police officer could have been mistaken for a Hell's Angel. Was he wearing leather and spikes and riding a Harley? From reading the story I deduced that the officer was driving a patrol car. After all, I have serious doubts that cops in rural Covington Co. have motorcycles. I could be wrong on that....but I'd be real surprised if I was. And how do you see what someone driving the car behind you looks like at night?

I won't fault Sen. Barron for not pulling over on a desolate stretch of road at night....I wouldn't either....but his explanation is just bizarre.

H/T Danny