Outlaw Motorist: Everything's Bigger in Texas
According to Harlingen Texas police (via the Valley Morning Star), it was a “routine” traffic stop– until they ran the usual license check. They discovered that Valerie Ortiz Sanchez had 76 outstanding traffic warrants and more than $15k in unpaid fines, stretching back some nine years. When Sanchez was brought before Municipal Court Judge Valerie Garcia, the judge needed nearly 20 minutes to read the list of charges (including drunk driving). The judge then dismissed some of the outdated, outstanding warrants, “reducing” total fines and fees owed to $15,696. Moments after paying the fines and leaving the Harlingen city jail, Sanchez was arrested by police from San Benito. Officials there say Sanchez has at least 10 outstanding warrants and owes $2,718 in fines and court fees dating back to 2007. “Basically, driving is a privilege not a right and it can be revoked,” proclaimed Harlingen police spokesman David Osborne. Basically, but not specifically.
Glenn is a baby-boomer, born in 1954. Along with his wife, he makes his home in Connecticut. Employed in the public sector as an Information Tedchnology Specialist, Glenn has long been a car fan. Past rides have included heavy iron such as a 1967 GTO, to a V8 T-Bird. In between those high-horsepower cars, he's owned a pair of BMW 320i's. Now, with a daily commute of 40 miles, his concession to MPG dictates the ownership of a 2006 Honda Civic coupe which, while fun to drive, is a modest car for a pistonhead. As an avid reader, Glenn enjoys TTAC, along with many other auto-realated sites, and the occasional good book. As an avid electronic junkie, Glenn holds an Advanced Class amateur ("ham") radio license, and is into many things electronic. From a satellite radio and portable GPS unit in the cars, to a modest home theater system and radio-intercom in his home, if it's run by the movement of electrons, he's interested. :-)
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if it can be revoked, why does she still have a license?
He was probably driving a GM car, and it broke down, which is when he required police assistance and got caught. God GM sucks.
I swear, it must be an automotive variation on Godwin's Law, except it goes like this: "As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comment involving GM, Ford, or Chrysler quality and reliability approaches one." Maybe I should call it Lutz's Law.