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City attorney asks for policy on handicapped-parking tickets

[AUG. 25, 2001]  City Attorney Bill Bates would like to know what to do with the growing number of $100 parking tickets sitting on his desk, and he is asking the Lincoln City Council to come up with a policy.

These are tickets issued to vehicles parked in handicapped-parking spots, and payment has been protested by vehicle owners who have placards allowing use of the spaces. The tickets are handed out by volunteers, many of whom are handicapped themselves, who say that even though the vehicle may belong to a handicapped person, the placards are not on display.

The unpaid tickets are piling up on the desks of the city attorney and the city clerk.

"Your city attorney needs direction," Bates told the board at the Aug. 20 meeting. "I have people coming into my office or calling my office on a daily basis.

"I don’t know if the city is prepared to try all these tickets [in court]," he continued. "I don’t know what I can or can’t do."

He said he had not yet filed any court complaints against those who have not paid the fines. Several tickets which were issued before he took office are on file, and those cases are continued to Sept. 17.

The issue, which has received media attention both in and outside of Lincoln, is whether a handicapped person who does not display the placard correctly should pay the $100 fine or whether the ticket should be voided if the person can prove he or she does have a legally issued placard permitting parking in a handicapped-designated spot.

The program began in May of last year, when the city began training citizens to issue tickets to vehicles on both public and private property. Former Mayor Joan Ritter left the question up to the discretion of the police chief, says City Clerk Juanita Josserand. The chief would check to be sure the placard was registered to the driver of the car, and if it was he would usually void the ticket, she said.

Present Mayor Beth Davis, however, has come down hard on those she believes are illegally using a handicapped-parking space. She said Monday night that she had no intention of voiding the tickets. "We should not be the jury or the judge," she said.

She is supported by the Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities in Illinois, whose outreach and development specialist Dan. R. Dickerson attended the council meeting. Dickerson said he commends the city leaders for their efforts in ticketing the vehicles. "I think you’re doing the right thing," he said.

 

[to top of second column in this article]

Alderman Steve Fuhrer expressed another view. "I have received a lot of phone calls on this," he said. "I think we went a little too far here. If a handicapped person can come in the next day and show the placard, they should not be fined."

He compared it to being stopped and not having his driver’s license with him. "If I go up the next day, I’ll get my ticket thrown out.

"We’re not here to make it hard for a handicapped person. I feel we’re punishing the people we’re trying to protect," he added.

Dickerson said the handicapped have worked hard to get laws passed that will give them accessible parking, but they also understand there is a responsibility.

"We have the right to park in that spot and a responsibility to display the placard. We don’t want a break, we just want a level playing field," he said.

Bates said the law states that the person with the placard must display it properly. However, some methods of displaying the card are not as effective as others.

For example, the secretary of state’s office says the back of the sun visor is a proper place to display a placard. However, many cars have heavily tinted sections at the top of the windshield, and when the visor is pulled down to display the card, it cannot be easily seen through the tinted glass.

Bates also said that he had received indications that those who can prove they have the placards will have their tickets dismissed by the court.

Josserand said the council will probably begin discussing the ticket policy at its work session on Aug. 28.

Mayor Davis, an advocate of rights for the handicapped, participated on Aug. 22 in the first of a series of trips around the downtown with handicapped residents. The group travels in wheelchairs to see how accessible buildings are. Davis said there would be wheelchairs available for any aldermen who wanted to come along.

[Joan Crabb]

Police Reports

 

Community Policing Activities

 

Court News

Name, age, address; date, charge; sentence   

(week ending 9-7-01)

  • James A. Babbs, 42, 512 Omaha; 9-20-99, count I – criminal sexual assault, count II – attempted criminal sexual assault; count I – dismissed, count II – 90 days work release, register as sex offender, $100 sex offender fine, restitution

  • Jimmy D. Jordan, 32, 12 Centennial Court; 8-16-01, count I – burglary, count II – retail theft; count I – dismissed, count II – pleaded guilty, six months Logan County Jail, 30 months probation

  • Larry L. Robertson, 43, 502 Frorer Ave.; 2-2-01, domestic battery, pleaded guilty, 24 months probation, 120 days Logan County Jail stayed pending remission

  • Larry L. Robertson, 43, 502 Frorer Ave.; 5-1-96, count I – aggravated driving under influence, count II – driving while license revoked; pleaded guilty to counts I and II, Class A, 24 months probation, 120 days Logan County Jail stayed pending remission

  • Arthur L. Rupert, 23, 4554 Drexel, Chicago; 9-2-01, unlawful possession of cannabis, pleaded guilty, $150 fine plus court costs, $200 mandatory assessment, $50 lab fee

Marriage Licenses

(week ending 9-7-01)

  • Brian Matthew Allen, Weatherford, Texas
    Tressie Darlene Woods, Weatherford, Texas

  • Marvin Dean Johnson, Centralia
    Angela Ann Scales, Centralia

Divorces

(week ending 9-7-01)

  • Paul Robert Orr, Lincoln
    Kathryn J. Orr, Lincoln

Most Wanted

Most Wanted is brought to you by the Logan County Sheriff's Department. If you know the whereabouts of any of these suspects or have any information about them, please call the Logan County Sheriff's Department at (217) 732-4159. Do not attempt to approach or speak to any suspect. The suspects presented here are just that, suspects. They are not guilty until convicted in a court of law.

Call (217) 732-4159 with any information.

  Donald Lingo
Charge: burglary, possession of controlled substance, drug conspiracy, aggravated battery, mob action, vehicle invasion, hate crime, failure to appear
Race: W
Sex: M
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 220
Hair: Blonde
Eyes: Blue
  Jerry Adams
Charge: Battery, Mob Action, Failure to Appear
DOB: 8/19/1976
Race: B
Sex: M
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 150
Hair: Black
Eyes: Black
  Eric Gibson
Charge: Possession of controlled substance, Failure to Appear
DOB: 8/8/1961
Race: W
Sex: M
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 290
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
  Jacob Achterberg
Charge: Failure to Appear, Possession of stolen property
DOB: 7/16/1982
Race: W
Sex: M
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 100
Hair: Blonde
Eyes: Blue
  James Beall
Charge: Failure to Appear, Driving under the infuence of alcohol
DOB: 6/12/1957
Race: W
Sex: M
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 220
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
  Richard Hutches
Charge: Failure to Appear, Criminal Felony
DOB: 7/10/1966
Race: W
Sex: M
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 165
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
  Almon Helton
Charge: Domestic Battery
DOB: 5/26/1973
Race: W
Sex: M
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 170
Hair: BLN
Eyes: HAZ
  Enola Patterson
Charge: Theft
DOB: 4/15/1953
Race: W
Sex: F
Height: 5'3"
Weight: 163
Hair: BRO
Eyes: BLU
  Rod Hower
Charge: FTA, Traffic, Deceptive Practices
DOB: 3/17/1971
Race: W
Sex: M
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 140
Hair: BRO
Eyes: BLU
  Gary Reed
Charge: Failure to appear
DOB: 11/8/48
Race: B
Sex: M
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 175
Hair: BRO
Eyes: BRO

Call (217) 732-4159 with any information.

ANYONE WITH ANY INFORMATION CONCERNING THESE INCIDENTS OR ANY OTHER CRIME IN THE LINCOLN/LOGAN COUNTY AREA IS URGED TO CALL "CRIME STOPPERS" AT 732-3000 OR E-MAIL AT crime@ccaonline.com.  YOUR INFORMATION WILL BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL AND YOU MAY REMAIN ANONYMOUS.  IF YOUR INFORMATION LEADS TO THE ARREST OF THE PERSON(S) INVOLVED, "CRIME STOPPERS" WILL PAY YOU A CASH REWARD UP TO $1,000.

"CRIME STOPPERS" HAS AN ANSWERING MACHINE TO ANSWER YOUR CALLS.  THIS IS TO PROTECT YOU IF YOU WISH TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS (YOUR CALLS CANNOT BE TRACED WITH THE MACHINE).  YOU NEED TO LET US KNOW HOW YOU CAN BE CONTACTED ABOUT THE INCIDENT, OR YOU MUST WATCH TO SEE IF THE SUBJECT HAS BEEN ARRESTED.  THIS IS SO WE CAN MAKE A PAYOUT.

Cases

  • Sometime before 9:11 a.m. on July 21, a burglary occurred at Lincoln Junior High School, 208 Broadway St. in Lincoln. Unknown person(s) broke a window on the third floor and gained access to the building. Unknown person(s) went through the school and caused damage and vandalism to the school property.

  • Late Sunday night and early Monday morning, March 18 and 19, someone stole items from five different Lincoln vehicles.
    The first vehicle was parked at a residence on the 1800 block of Pekin. A $175 radar detector was taken from the car.
    In one of the Lincoln Christian College parking lots, change was stolen from an automobile.
    On the 200 block of Mayfield, several items totaling $75 were stolen from a car parked at the owner’s residence: a book binder, school books, homework, a calculator, a learner's permit and some change.
    The next vehicle was parked inside a garage on the 900 block of N. McLean. The owner remembers locking the garage door. A portable CD player, which is worth about $100, was taken from the vehicle.
    The last theft was from a car parked at the owner’s residence. A $50 AM/FM CD player was stolen.
    There are no suspects at this time, but due to the timing of the crimes it is believed that they may be connected. If you have any information about these thefts, please contact the Lincoln Police Department at 732-2151, or Crime Stoppers at 732-3000.

  • A series of thefts in the early morning hours of Thursday, March 15, is under investigation. There are no suspects yet, but police believe that one person or group is responsible for all of the crimes. 

    The first vehicle, a pickup truck, parked at the owner’s residence in the 500 block of Tremont, was entered through the rear sliding door. It is estimated that $400 worth of property was stolen: a radio, duffle bag, four clothing items, prescription sunglasses, two flashlights and a disposable camera.

    The second vehicle had an AM/FM CD player stolen. To gain entry, the suspects forced entry to the side door of the ’93 Jeep, which was parked in front of the owner’s residence in the 300 block of Tremont. The radio is worth about $100.

    Two cars were broken into in a residential parking lot on the 100 block of S. Logan St. One vehicle, a truck, had a CD player removed; the suspects removed the dash cover to take the $200 unit.

    The other vehicle, a van, had a radar detector removed. The detector is worth about $100.

    If you have any information about these crimes, please contact the Lincoln Police Department at 732-2151 or Crime Stoppers at 732-3000.

  • On Feb. 19, 2001, between 6 and 8:15 p.m. unknown person(s) placed an unknown substance on a 1999 Cadillac parked at the Mount Pulaski grade school. The grade school is located at 200 N. Garden Street in Mount Pulaski. The substance caused extensive damage to the paint on the vehicle. The Mount Pulaski Police Department, (217) 792-5018, and the Lincoln/Logan County Crime Stoppers are requesting anyone with any information to contact them.

  • On Jan. 16, 2001, a possible arson occurred at 127 N. Kickapoo St. (the old Scully Building) in Lincoln. The possible arson was reported at approx. 7:12 p.m. on that date. Anyone with any information about this incident who may have seen anything or anyone in the area of the building is asked to contact the Lincoln Police Department, Lincoln Fire Department or Crime Stoppers.

  • On Jan. 12, 2001, sometime between 6  and 9 p.m., a burglary occurred on Mayfair Drive in Lincoln. Unknown person(s) forced open a garage door and entered the residence. Unknown person(s) looked through dresser drawers and a closet. Taken from the residence were several shotguns, a cellular phone and a camera.

  • Sometime between Nov. 23 and Nov. 27, 2000, unknown person(s) entered a residence on the west side of Lincoln. Unknown person(s) forced entry to the residence and went through it. Several items of jewelry where taken, along with a laptop computer and an unknown amount of U.S. currency.

  • Sometime between Nov. 13 and Nov. 14, 2000, unknown person(s) forced entry to the Plaza Wash and Lube at 2821 Woodlawn Road in Lincoln. Unknown person(s) broke a window on a door on the east side of the building. Unknown person(s) entered the office area and took an assortment of U.S. currency and some product coupons. Estimated damage to the door was around $70.

Information on payouts

These are totals from the inception of the program Aug. 1,  1983.

Total calls received:       241

Solved cases:                   45

Arrests made:                   60

Dollar amount of drugs and merchandise recovered:    $36,200.00

Dollar amount paid out for rewards:    $9,775.00

(2000 figures)

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