Pulled Over for Having a Mask in my Car

Submitted by Larry Kiddey via CopBlock Submit.

When: August 21, 2014
Responsible Individual: Eric M. McFarland, “Personnel” #259
Contact Info for Responsible Party: 2600 Eoff St, Wheeling, WV 26003 (304) 238-1100

I was driving home after a long day at work. I was traveling west bound on interstate 70 in Elm Grove, WV. A WV Trooper was entering I70 via the Elm Grove on ramp and ended up in the lane to my right. He kept the same speed as my car and stayed in my blind spot. I accelerated to get out in front so that I could make a lane change out of the passing lane. As I got ahead of the Trooper, he changed lanes (without using turn signal) and got behind me. I assumed he wanted to pass and I changed to the lane the he just came from.

He immediately activates the blue party lights and I am pulled over in a very dangerous spot where I70 and I470 split. I placed the vehicle in park and activated my video camera on my phone to record the encounter. The trooper appears at my passenger side door as I am trying to get my camera started. I crack the window about 6 inches while getting my camera started. He asks me to roll my window down all the way and I tell him that is as far as I am rolling it down.

His reason for pulling me over was that he thought someone was wearing a mask in the passenger seat of my car. Yes, it is illegal to wear a mask in WV.

As you will see in the video, the mask was a Guy Fawkes mask which has become the international image for Anonymous over the years at protests. My mask was hanging on the head rest of the passenger seat of my car. This cop in no way thought someone was wearing this mask in the car, he was gathering intel and seeing who had such a mask in their car.

Luckily I had my phone to make the video. The trooper was not rude or abusive, but lacked judgement since once he acknowledged that I had committed no crime, he should have walked away from my vehicle and let me be on my way.

This incident has given birth to Belmont County Cop Block, which I am the founder of and DEO has been so gracious to be my Facebook page admin.

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Pulled Over for Having a Mask in my Car is a post from Cop Block – Badges Don’t Grant Extra Rights