A man in Parker, Colorado, was allegedly caught speeding. Before he was handcuffed, he argued that he was not to blame, saying that he “wasn’t driving” and that the auto assist was responsible. The officer wasn’t a fan of the excuse.
According to the Parker Police Department (PPD), the incident occurred back on July 21. At around 2:30 p.m., an officer noticed a speeding vehicle on the road.
The PPD accused the unnamed driver, whose face was blurred in the shared bodycam footage, of traveling at 64 mph in a 45 mph zone. In Colorado, that’s a Class A traffic infraction and can result in 4 DMV points and a fine.
A traffic stop was conducted, and the man behind the wheel of the red sedan complied. The officer walked up to him, and he came across a unique excuse for the alleged speeding.
“I Wasn’t Driving”
The footage attached above shows the driver immediately acknowledging that he was going “a bit fast,” as the officer said. However, he decided to place the blame on something else rather than himself.
“I wasn’t driving,” he said. “That’s the assist-driving, autopilot, sir.” The officer replied, “You’re in charge, though,” and then asked for the man’s driver’s license.
The driver continued to argue that the car was responsible for the speeding and refused to provide his driver’s license. The officer said, “The car doesn’t have a driver’s license. I need to see your driver’s license.”
Argument Continues
A back-and-forth continued, and eventually the driver showed his driver’s license, though not before some expletives were exchanged. The officer then returned and issued him a speeding ticket.
“I’m not sure how this whole thing works, but it’s not the first person I’ve stopped that’s been in autopilot,” the officer said. “I don’t know why they decided to speed. There’s no way the speed limit here is 65.”
The argument continued between the two men, as the driver didn’t find it logical that he would get a speeding ticket if the auto assist was behind the speeding. The officer, again, told him that whether the car was in autopilot or not was irrelevant. He was still in charge, and a judge would agree with him, the cop said.
Supervisor Requested
Seeing that the argument was going nowhere, the driver asked the cop for a supervisor. No supervisors were available at the time, but the officer told him he was welcome to wait for one.
Then, the man told the officer that his handing him a speeding ticket was “rude,” and that he was treating him “like an [expletive].” He continued to raise his voice as he declared himself to be a good citizen and not a criminal.
The cop stood in silence, refusing to engage with the heated argument. He then said, “I’m leaving,” and walked away.
“No matter what technology your vehicle has, the person behind the wheel is accountable for the vehicle’s actions. These systems are designed to assist you, not drive for you,” the KPD wrote. “Slow down, stay engaged, and help keep Parker’s roads safe.”