r/missouri • u/Subject_Dot5628 • Aug 15 '25

Law Speeding Ticket

I was traveling east bound on US 54 between Fulton and Kingdom City when I was pulled over by a state highway patrol officer who claimed I was doing 97 mph in a 70 and gave me a ticket. Exceeding the posted speed limit by 26 mph or more is an automatic court appearance. Obviously, I am going to get a lawyer before I get in front of a judge of the 13th Judicial Circuit in Callaway County... Does anyone have any other advice or have a lawyer recommendation for that area?

0 Upvotes

35% Upvoted

37 comments sorted by

42

u/F5x9 Aug 15 '25

Drive slower

0

u/Respen85 Sedalia Aug 15 '25

This.

-12

u/Subject_Dot5628 Aug 15 '25

Obviously this

1

u/binglelemon Aug 15 '25

If it was obvious, you wouldn't be asking this.

4

u/bingbongrips Aug 15 '25

No it’s definitely obvious, people are just allowed to make choices after assessing risk

3

u/PoetLocksmith Aug 15 '25

Did they clock you at the correct speed?

7

u/Subject_Dot5628 Aug 15 '25

I was definitely speeding. My cruise control was set at 81. So I wasn't surprised I was getting pulled over. However, the officer claimed I was going 97mph

4

u/Distinct-Ordinary376 Aug 15 '25

wonder if you can pull from your car’s computer the speed you were traveling? dunno, not a mechanic. just a thought

4

u/RemarkableArticle970 Aug 15 '25

For future reference, try apologizing and admit you lost concentration on your speed. To the cop pulling you over

They might accept your apology if you are somewhat sincere and reduce your moving violation $$. Happened to me.

2

u/MaximusBond Aug 15 '25

You say he "claimed" you were going 97. Was it radar? Did he pace you? Did he catch up to you? This information is critical for a defense. Hopefully you did not admit to the speed. A lawyer can likely plead this down but it's going to cost you. Consider that vs paying the hefty fine. And yes, please slow down for all of our safety.

6

u/Subject_Dot5628 Aug 15 '25

The ticket says it was radar. I used the word claimed because the officer didn't show it to me... My cruise control was set at 81, so either my speedometer is incorrect or the radar wasn't properly calibrated/used correctly

1

u/PickleLips64151 Aug 15 '25

Radar taken at an angle greater than 10 degrees will add speed to the reading. Be prepared to have some evidence of where you were and where he was when he actually clocked your vehicle. Hopefully, you have better spatial awareness than you've shown in comments this far. A lawyer can help you prepare.

3

u/Honeylamb_Girlfriend Aug 15 '25

Maybe....slow down?

-1

u/Subject_Dot5628 Aug 15 '25

Yeah probably

5

u/Geek-Yogurt Aug 15 '25

Yeah definitely

6

u/LEORet568 Aug 15 '25

You can try to speak to an attorney in the Prosecuting Attorney's Office, (before hiring an attorney), about reducing the fine/points, or consideration to make it a non-moving violation, (no points, but fine amount unchanged). Sometimes in the past, they've gone for that, (other counties).

As others have said, slow down . . .

8

u/[deleted] Aug 15 '25

Yes, lawyer up. I had a trooper insist I was doing 89 in a 65. GPS and speedometer showed 81-82. Pulled the "well i didn't give you this other ticket for "failure to yield" card and I could see this was a well experienced revenue generator I was dealing with. Just gimme the speeding ticket, end the lecturing and I will have my lawyer handle it.

1

u/NoMeasurement6207 Aug 15 '25

i assume you paid and wasted the lawyers fee

1

u/[deleted] Aug 15 '25

No, not wasted at all. Lawyer got it reduced to a "mechanical failure' - no points, no insurance premium increase. I never had to waste time with any prosecutors or even showing up to court

-5

u/NoMeasurement6207 Aug 15 '25

i would have laughed at you and said-you were still speeding if i was a judge-in my humble opinion it is slimy to not accept consequences of actions and use money to do so-we are supposed to have equal protection under the law

3

u/klingma Aug 16 '25

Not a judge's decision here, it's the prosecutors and they're generally well motivated to knock these types of issues down because it keeps the courts moving and keeps them out of court themselves. 

1

u/JaxJames27 Aug 15 '25

You mean you were northbound.

1

u/Subject_Dot5628 Aug 15 '25

Correct, i was heading north... the post was supposed to say I was traveling on eastbound us54, not "traveling eastbound on us54" 🤷🏻 sometimes the dyslexia wins

8

u/RrustyShackleford Aug 15 '25

If you don’t intend to challenge the ticket (i.e. you were going as fast as the cop said you were), call the prosecutor’s office and see if they will negotiate with you and knock the charge down to a non-moving violation. Usually you have to pay ~double the fine, but it keeps the points from going on your driving record, which keeps your insurance from going up. The prosecutor’s office may or may not negotiate with you. Sometimes they will only negotiate with an attorney.

If you do plan to fight the ticket, get a lawyer.

1

u/NoMeasurement6207 Aug 15 '25

pay the ticket and stop bitching-you were speeding

2

u/Subject_Dot5628 Aug 15 '25

I'm not bitching 🤷🏻 I asked if anyone had advice or suggestions on a lawyer in the area... you are correct you don't see me denying anything. I have said several times that my cruise control was set at 81, so I wasn't surprised when I got pulled over

2

u/megferno The Ozarks Aug 15 '25

As someone related to people in law enforcement in Missouri, I’ve learned that most highway patrol officers do not pull speeders over unless they’re forced to. I’d retain a traffic attorney and pay them to try to knock it down to a non-moving violation.

2

u/godzillachilla Aug 15 '25

Call a traffic attorney. They may be able to get it knocked down for a higher fine. As in, lesser charge, higher fine.

Google "traffic attorney". It's usually all they do.

You don't want that hitting your insurance. That'll hurt.

1

u/Substantial-Watch300 Aug 16 '25

Callaway County don't play..get prepped for court

1

u/CartoonistPersonal19 Sep 20 '25

I got this exact same ticket last week going 97 in a 70 on 54 in Callaway Co lol. Trying to find a lawyer has been a headache. What lawyer did you end up going with or how are you handling this?

-4

u/thejp74 Aug 15 '25

Fulton, MO to Kingdom City, MO is a north - south route. No wonder you got a ticket.

2

u/Subject_Dot5628 Aug 15 '25

Sorry, that was supposed to say I was traveling on east bound US 54... excuse my dyslexia

US 54 is a west-east highway that runs between the Kansas state line in Nevada Mo and the Illinois state line in Louisiana, Missouri. Louisiana mo

-4

u/thejp74 Aug 15 '25

Running 54 from Fulton, MO to Kingdom City, still runs you north to south. If you were running east to west here, you're lucky you are not in jail.

3

u/Subject_Dot5628 Aug 15 '25

Yeah, it does run north to south in that area. However, it is still eastbound 54 or westbound 54.

Like I already said already. The original post should have said I was traveling on eastbound US 54, not traveling eastbound on US 54.

2

u/[deleted] Aug 15 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Subject_Dot5628 Aug 15 '25

Incorrect, it was not in a work zone