No, cuz you can't say I was reckless driving. You coming from that way. >> I absolutely can. Based on your speed through a neighborhood, I can. >> What was my speed? Doesn't matter. >> What was my speed? >> Doesn't matter. It does matter cuz you turned it up. What was my speed? >> I will testify I will testify to it in court. You will testify to it in court. Hey bro, you're a real funny but I can't wait till your supervisor get here and I can't wait to get your dash cam and your body cam. You don't know who I am. >> need to know you. >> But I'm going to have a field day with you. Absolutely. Apparently he's saying he doesn't want me to represent him, your honor. I mean, this is the first conversation we've had. He wasn't here earlier when I called out his name. So, is that what you want to proceed pro se? >> Yes, sir. All right. Did you say you would be willing to come in court and testify about my speed, correct? >> I did. And did you ever tell me my speed during the traffic stop? No, because as I stated I did not obtain your speed. And for the record, wasn't your probable cause supposedly for the traffic stop was the reckless driving, correct? Yes, sir, it was. >> And not the driver's license, correct? >> Yes, sir. Okay. Y'all don't have no more further questions? What do you do? Um I do a lot. You've done the best job of any unrepresented person that I've seen. And I've been doing this since 1998. >> This man was driving home from work when a cop suddenly accused him of reckless driving through a neighborhood even though the dash cam footage never showed any dangerous driving at all. The officer tried claiming he was flying down the street but refused to give an actual speed and admitted he never used any speed detection device during the stop. The original incident video link is included in the description of the video. What started as another aggressive traffic stop quickly turned into a courtroom disaster for the officer after the driver decided to represent himself and directly challenge every weak part of the cop's story. The more the officer talked, the worse it got, especially once the judge started realizing the reckless driving accusation had nothing solid behind it. Watch how this driver forced the cop to defend a stop that completely fell apart under questioning. Now one, you can lift there for now. Where are your flies? Stop. Why are we driving so fast, dude? Driver's license, proof of insurance. Driver's license, proof of insurance. Driver's license, proof of insurance. Go ahead and step out. Close the door, please. He's in the route. Go ahead and step out. Why am I stepping out of the Listen, because you traffic offense, traffic stop. >> offense? You were speeding, reckless driving through a neighborhood. Sir, how did you see me reckless driving through a neighborhood, sir? Listen, listen, listen, I don't need to go the way it's going to go. >> Sir, But it's going to go that way. Which way is it going to go? You're going to go to jail. For what? For resisting. Where did you see me driving reckless, sir? Right there, right there. Where? Where? On the road that you were coming down at a high rate of speed. What is your speed detection certified? Do you have a radar in your car? How fast was I going? Driver's license, proof of insurance. How fast was I going? You're about to catch an obstruction charge. >> I'm not catch How would I Driver's license, proof of >> Obstruction charge? What? I'm asking you a question. I'm asking you a question, sir. First of all and first of all I'm on my property, sir. So you in a you in a neighborhood for something else. I'm just getting off work and you think you see my car, you think I'm a part of the bull No. Cuz you can't say I was reckless driving. YOU COMING FROM THAT WAY. I absolutely can. Based on your speed through the neighborhood. What was my speed? Doesn't matter. What was my speed? >> Doesn't matter. It does matter cuz you telling me I was speed What was my speed? I will testify to it in court. You would testify to it in court. Hey bro, you're real funny but I can't wait till your supervisor get here and I can't wait to get your dash cam and your body cam. >> Absolutely. >> know who I am but I'm going to have a field day with you. Absolutely. So I'm coming into the neighborhood here and as I'm pulling in, I see a car coming this way down this side street there at an extreme high rate of speed. So I immediately turn my blue lights on. He stops at the stop sign. I'm kind of He's at the stop sign. I'm kind of like this. Put my take downs on. He starts rolling his window down so I go to roll my window down. He rolls it up and then whips it in here. So I pulled in behind him and uh And he's on the tag? Yeah, he's suspended and he refused to give his ID for like the first half of the traffic stop. He gave it to you now? Yep, got it now which comes back suspended. Is this his house? Uh it doesn't come back to the license on uh house but he said he lives here. Okay. But um he wants supervisor. He said he uh he's gotten another officer before and he's going to get another one. Officer CTR 2420690. Officer Richard Salva. Turn your house. Malika Jones. Malika Jones. I didn't hear anything. Malika Jones. Mr. Jones. Yes, I am. What did you say? I am. Um I didn't want you to represent me if you didn't uh Um get case dismissed. It's easy. I have body cam and dash cam. >> I'd wait until you all finish if you'd like and then I'll conduct the court business. So go ahead. Apparently he's saying he doesn't want me to represent him, your honor. I mean this is the first conversation we've had. He wasn't here earlier when I called out his name. So, is that what you want to proceed pro se? >> Yes, sir. All right. Then, raise your hand if you're about to plan to testify. Are you testifying? Yes, sir. Then, raise your hand. Do you swear or affirm that the testimony you're about to give is the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God? Yes, sir. Yes, I do. Uh under the Sixth Amendment of the US Constitution, you have a right to the assistance of an attorney. If you can't afford an attorney, then the state is obligated to appoint you an attorney. Uh you have been appointed an attorney by Recorder's Court Clerk's Office. You're rejecting and do not accept that appointment. Is that true? Yes, sir. You're right, Your Honor. And you're ready to to proceed without uh retaining other counsel. Yes, sir. Have you had any legal background? Uh no, sir, but can I ask you, can I pull out my iPad? I have my case notes and everything on my iPad. I didn't I wasn't able to print it out because I was at work, but I do have my case notes. I also have the body camera and the dash cams. I have the evidence to go on with the preliminary. Do you know how to present evidence in the court? Uh yes, sir. >> Do you know how to get it into the record? Uh I would have to do a file, but I actually called to get her off of my case, but they told me it it'll be 30 days, and I wanted to kind of go ahead and get this case over with. You know that you're charged with reckless driving. Yes, sir. I'm I'm aware that was the allegations. Driving while license suspended or revoked. Yes, sir. I understand that is the allegation as well, sir. And to both you and the plea of not guilty. >> Yes, sir. Do you understand the consequences of each? Yes, sir. What are the consequences of reckless driving? Uh What could you be sentenced to? Uh I could be sentenced up to a year, a $1,000 fine, and definitely four uh possibly seven points on my additional points onto my driver's record. Let's proceed. Can I pull out my iPad for my notes if you don't mind? Oh, depends on where you pulling it from. Oh, it's on the Google Docs. Just notes. It's not >> Okay, yeah. It's Google Docs. All right. I don't want to flip it. Your Honor, am I excused? You are excused. Thank you very much. Have a great day. Yes, ma'am. Uh officer, neither one of you have been sworn. Did you do that? Yes, sir. We did. State your name, place of employment, job title. Yes, sir. I'm Officer Richard Salva with the Chatham County Police Department, and I'm post certified. All right. On August 17th, 2024, at 05:25 a.m., did you have the occasion to come in contact with this defendant? Yes, sir. I did. When you came in contact with the defendant, were you in the course of your employment as a police officer with Chatham County? Yes, sir. I was. Were you in uniform? Yes, sir. Were you in a county-issued vehicle? County-issued marked vehicle, yes, sir. All right. The first charge is you charged him with driving while license suspended or revoked. Is that true? Yes, sir. What's the factual basis for that charge? Based on running him through GCIC and NCIC, he came back suspended. I confirmed that with our records department that he was suspended and he came back suspended. Okay. He was further charged with reckless driving. Yes, sir. If I can give some backstory to that. Please. We had gotten a call for a vehicle in that area driving recklessly with its headlights off. We have a high problem with stolen autos in that area and then kids driving at a high rate of speed through the neighborhoods. So, we had found that vehicle that was driving at a high rate of speed. It crashed into a patrol car. Five occupants got out on foot and began running. They ran across from Lower Green Court across Quaco Road and then to the road where I saw Mr. Jones here. They were running on foot and then when I saw Mr. Jones, I had all my white take down lights on looking for the suspects running. They were all wearing dark clothing. When I witnessed his vehicle driving at what appeared to be a high rate of speed. What's the speed limit? 25. Um What is your estimate of the speed he was traveling? 45 to 50, sir. Was it day or night? Early morning about 5:00 a.m. I believe. Was it 4:00 a.m. Daylight at that point or not? It was dark and not lit. Could you see him inside the vehicle? No, sir. And is this the same vehicle that wrecked? No, sir. How did you determine that he was the one driving? He was driving west on the road and I was going north. So when he came up to the stop sign that I was approaching, I was able to see straight into his windshield because I had all my white lights on at that time. But it wasn't until after he got closer to my vehicle that I saw him. And what kind of vehicle was he driving? It was a black um SUV. I don't have the citation with me, so Did you immediately stop him? I immediately turned my lights and sirens on and then he stopped but then proceeded to continue to drive and pull into his driveway um because he said he didn't know I was pulling him over. All righty. Um You had your body worn camera? Yes. And a dash camera. Did you speak to him? Yes, sir, I did. Um Did you ask him about the incident? Uh when I approached his vehicle, he he had two cell phones in his hands and he did not want to answer any questions. He refused to give his driver's license and he immediately asked for a supervisor. Um and the traffic stop did not continue until my supervisor arrived about 30 minutes later. He refused to leave Okay. until that point. The vehicle mounted on your vehicle, the camera mounted on your vehicle, did it pick up any of this incident? It did not pick up the full um span of what I could see with my eyes. It did pick him up approaching the stop sign, but after what I saw. So it didn't capture the charge. >> No, sir, it did not. Anything else you locked off or Um since that day, he has continued to drive while suspended. I was on a traffic stop on Ogeechee Road after the fact. He pulled up behind me in the emergency lane, started recording my traffic stop. Um I was on I was not going to discontinue the stop I was on uh cuz I had PC to search the car. But, I saw him in the car. I ran his record again, and he still came back suspended. All right. Do you have questions? Yes, I do have questions for me, honor. Um Officer Salter, you said that I was going about 30 to 45 mph that you saw me traveling, correct? 45 to 50 would be my guess, sir. Can you tell the court your positioning of where you observed my speed going? Like what what direction were you traveling where you saw me speed where you saw me supposedly speeding and what direction I was traveling when you observed this supposedly reckless driving? I was driving northbound, you were driving westbound. You said you was in the area for a call of a What was the description of the vehicle that you had? It was a black sedan. Black sedan? Yes, sir. And you know the difference between a sedan and a SUV, correct? Absolutely. Um do you remember telling your first responding officer that you thought that my car was the second suspect for the call that you had in the area? No, sir, I did not. >> You don't? You don't remember saying that on your BWC? I I did not say that. I think you misunderstood, sir. Okay. Um do you also remember telling your supervisor that arrived to the scene that you did not use uh speed detection device? Yes, I did. Um and you continue Do you remember continue telling everyone that came to the scene that you saw me flying down the street. Yes, sir, I did. And what's your definition of flying down the street, sir? About 45 to 50 miles an hour, sir. Okay. And you said that I came to a stop sign, correct? Yes, sir, you did. So, if I was approach if a if a car is approaching the stop sign, if they're doing 45 to 55 miles per hour approaching a stop sign, would they be able to stop completely in front of a stop sign? 45 to 50, sir, but you slowed down prior to reaching the >> stop sign. And you said your dash cam did not catch everything that you say go with the charges. My dash camera did not have a wide enough angle to catch you approaching at the speed you were approaching at. Okay. So, you say I was going 45 to 55 miles per hour, and you charged me you charged my I'm sorry. If you charged my client with going 45 to 55 to miles an hour in a residential neighborhood, why didn't you mark that on the citation that night? You don't have the citation on you? Because I wasn't able to obtain your speed. Do you understand with reckless driving you have to be able to determine the speed of one one factor is you have to determine the speed. You do know that, correct? Yes, sir, reckless driving is the reckless disregard for the persons or property. Was anybody outside Did you observe anybody outside? Yes, the people the five people running from us on foot that I explained to you. Did you see them outside at any time you see my vehicle traveling up that way? They were running in the direction that you were coming from. Did I match the description of anyone that was out on foot that you were in the area looking for? No, sir, you did not. Did any of my clothing appear to match that description at all, either? No, sir, you did not. Then you also said that when I asked my client actually at the scene were you in the area for something else and you thought he was connected to it you said no, correct? I don't recall saying that. When your backup officer said that you were in the call for a high alert call that my car matched the description of the call. Did you not say that that call was already disabled? Yes, that part I did. >> nothing to do with the call. Yes, you had nothing to do with it. So, why is this traffic stop tied to that CAD report? It should not be, sir. I didn't I didn't put your traffic stop with that CRN. Sir, that's You sure? I did not. Yes, sir. You did not. So, how would a traffic stop be tied to that CRN under that CAD report? I did not tie that traffic stop with the CRN for that crash. >> So, is that something that commonly happen with Chatham County? From my knowledge, it's not tied to it, sir. Are you sure? I said from my knowledge. >> Your knowledge, okay. Did you say you would be willing to come in court and testify about my speed, correct? >> I did. And did you ever tell me my speed during the traffic stop? No, because as I stated, I did not obtain your speed. And for the record, wasn't your probable cause supposedly for the traffic stop was the reckless driving, correct? Yes, sir, it was. >> And not the driving with a suspended license, correct? Yes, sir. Okay. And that was that was determined after you made the initial stop for reckless driving and high rate of speed without capturing my speed on the speed detection device, correct? Yes, sir. All right. Y'all don't have no more further questions. What do you do? Um I do a lot. I'm a longshoreman. Uh I I I do a lot of things, but Uh What did you go to college? I did a year at Savannah State, but your honor Um this is the second viral traffic stop I've had in the last year with law enforcement being profiled. I absolutely have nothing to do, um and I'm tired of it. I I could not let someone come up here and fight for me that does not know the backstory, that does not know why I react the way that I react. I warned this officer when he posts me illegally, and I told him that he could be next, and that video went viral within 2 days. They reached out They people reached out to Chatham County, and Chatham County stood up behind this officer. This officer is still in our community profiling people on traffic stops, and I'm tired of it, sir. I'm tired of it. Um Let me ask you, is your license suspended? Your honor, um I can submit this to I have a limited driving permit that's dated for 8/17, the same day that uh this citation was given. This is This is the paper copy. I also have the hard copy in uh my car that I drive around with. Um I don't play about my license. I'm a longshoreman. I work off my license. I was not so not notified that my license was suspended. Um and he know that I was not notified that my license was suspended. How does he know that it Because it was discovered on the stop. He told his supervisor um he even told me uh and it's even on DDS that I was not notified that I paid super speeder tickets and tickets all up until that moment that my license was suspended. So, I was not notified, your honor, about my license being suspended. I just got through working 14 hours at Georgia Port off of my driver's license. So, after this incident that you went to DDS Yes, sir. and got your license. I got a I got a limited driving permit. I was >> After this stop. Yes, sir. Let me hear your argument as far as why this is not reckless driving. Uh well, my argument this is not reckless driving, your honor, because he did not have probable cause to initiate a traffic stop because he did not catch my speed with a speed radar detecting device to match his what he says. >> do that under law. What he says. >> any case law that you researched that say you got to capture it on a speed device? There are a variety of ways you can determine speed. Georgia courts have ruled that subjective observation without solid evidence, such as speed detection, may not be a new may not be enough support a reckless driving. Uh Drake versus State 221 >> Our operative word may not. Yes, sir. It's not shall not. See the difference? Yes, sir. Did you jeopardize that case? Sir? Did you jeopardize that case? Uh no, sir. Do you know what jeopardize means? To jeopardize something. No, sir. Since we've had court system in this country, courts have rendered verdict. It's just like Roe versus Wade was overturned. Up until then, Roe versus Wade was the law. But a year so ago, it was overturned. So, it's no longer the law. Your Honor, may I also add something? Sure. Um as well as the five people running on foot, there was also a lot of parked vehicles on that road, which is the other part to it. It was the disregard for the people that were running on foot, and then the property of all the people with their cars parked on the side of the roadway. >> Is there sidewalks in that area? No, sir, there's not. Okay. So, the county has said by not having sidewalks that they don't expect people walking alongside the road. Well, the people weren't running. They were running through yards and through the roadways. They're running from the police. Okay, but how did he endanger them? Even if he was speeding, if they were running through yards and They were They were running north through the yards and they were crossing the road where he was coming from. I think your argument fails on the uh I agree with your conclusion that uh the reckless has to be uh a greater burden as to speed. You just can't guess the speed. There has to be some objective. And the reason is you have to test it. Or otherwise, if he said you're going 1,000 miles an hour, then do you just accept that as fact? Uh I I It's not enough for reckless driving. I'll dismiss the reckless driving. You are guilty of driving on a suspended license. And do you know why your license was suspended? Uh that's That's really funny because I was just looking at my license that Monday and I was just telling my uh daughter's nurse that I had 11 points on my license and come to find out that my license was suspended because of points on my license. But I was not notified, like I said. And I just had paid a ticket 628. Technically, you were notified. And let me tell you why you were notified. I can't pull out a gun and shoot him in the head. That'd be murder. Every citizen doesn't have to be advised that I can pull out a gun and shoot Eric in the head. When the law occurs, a law or an event occurs pursuant to law, it is so analogous The law presumes that everybody knows it. You knew it. But it being presumed that you knew it. You get me? Yes, sir. But realistically, most lawyers don't know the law. So, I don't expect to hold you to that high standard. Um you're right. You got suspended off court. It isn't a specific intent crime. Um it isn't where the state has to prove that you knowingly did this. No. It's not the case because most speeders don't have to prove that they knowingly that they had an intent. The intent in traffic has been eliminated. What they have to prove, did you do it? If you did it, legally that amounts to an intent. Uh you've done the best job of any unrepresented person that I've seen. And I've been doing this since 1998. You did the best job. Uh we're going to have a law school come to Georgia Southern. It's going to about 3 years. You need to think about going to night class, becoming a lawyer. You got the flair, you even bought the ties to look like a lawyer, so think about that. I'm going to let you plead no low contender. You know what no low is. Can we not motion to dismiss it on grounds cuz I don't need another driving with a suspended license because if I want to work at the sheriff department and that's why I was actually looking at my license. That's why this is very vague. I was looking at disqualification if I want to work at the sheriff department and you can't have seven or more points on your license. So, I'm already in the red for that. But, also I wasn't able to volunteer at the juvenile um the RYDC because I had a suspended license. Driving with a suspended license on my record. So, that's why this is very important. >> 30 30? I'm 27, sir. Oh, you're a baby. Um go to defensive driving school. Okay. They'll give you the information and come back um December the 17th. If you come back December the 17th, the traffic school will remove Is it five points? I'm not sure what it is. None of my staff knows? Oh, it's got How many points? Seven points. It'll remove seven? Good God. You interested in a job? No, I Come back on December the 17th and at 9:00. Uh we won't need the officer and we'll finish resolving your case. >> Okay. Okay? Yes, sir. But you want to be a police officer. I really want to work in law politics, but I I want to be a private investigator because I want to get the dirty cops off the street, but they say I have to do 2 years of law enforcement to be a private investigator. >> The best way to do that is to become a police officer and work with internal affairs. That is the simplest way to do that. And news flash, uh there are less corrupt cops than there are corrupt corrupt lawyers. Corrupt Oh, it is. It is. Uh corrupt corrupt doctors who give you medicine because they're in some imaginary study and a pharmaceutical company pays them to prescribe medicine for you? Well, you can do it in a way you want to do it. We'll see you back here uh on December the 7th. Thank you. >> Okay? Thank you. Thank you. Be safe out there. The driver walked away with the reckless driving charge completely dismissed after exposing that the officer never captured his speed and relied entirely on guesses. The suspended license issue stayed open temporarily, but even the judge admitted the driver handled himself better than almost any unrepresented person he had seen in decades. The officer went from acting confident on the roadside to sitting in court while his entire reckless driving accusation collapsed under basic questioning. Even the judge ended up praising the driver's preparation, knowledge, and ability to challenge the officer directly.