Ryan Moats gets traffic ticket in ER parking lot while mother in-law dies inside

[AFJF]

and the cop couldn't be more proud of himself....

http://www.dallasnews.com/video/index.html?nvid=345818&emb

[Papageorgio268]

This guy ruins my faith in the human race.

[AFJF]

This guy ruins my faith in the human race.

No kidding...what an absolute piece of **** scumbag.

"If that was my mother dying in there I MIGHT be upset too"

[AFJF]

PLANO, Texas -- A police officer pulled over an NFL player rushing to see his dying mother-in-law, drew his gun, threatened the player with jail and held him in the hospital parking lot as she died, officials said Thursday.

Video: NFL player pulled over

On the Web site of the Dallas Morning News, video from a police dashboard camera shows a Dallas police officer stopping Texans running back Ryan Moats in front of the hospital where his mother-in-law lay dying of cancer. Watch

Officer Robert Powell told his commanders he drew his gun but did not point it, Dallas police spokesman Lt. Andy Harvey said. That was disputed by the wife of Houston Texans running back Ryan Moats.

"He was pointing a gun at me as soon as I got out of the car," Tamishia Moats told The Dallas Morning News, which first reported that Powell unholstered his sidearm.

The Moats family did not return messages left by The Associated Press.

Powell, who has been reassigned to desk duty, stopped Moats' SUV outside Baylor Regional Medical Center during the early hours of March 18 after Moats rolled through a red light. Moats and his family had gotten a call saying his mother-in-law was dying.

Video from a dashboard camera inside the officer's vehicle, obtained by Dallas-Fort Worth station WFAA-TV, revealed an intense exchange in which the officer threatened to jail Moats.

He ordered Tamishia Moats to get back in the SUV, but she ignored him and rushed inside the hospital to see her mother, Jonetta Collinsworth, 45, and was by her side when she died a short time later. She had breast cancer.

"Get in there," said Powell, yelling at 27-year-old Tamishia Moats, as she exited the car. "Let me see your hands!"

"Excuse me, my mom is dying," she said. "Do you understand?"

Ryan Moats, 26, explained that he waited until there was no traffic before proceeding through the red light. When Powell asked for proof of insurance, Moats grew more agitated and told the officer to go find it.

"My mother-in-law is dying! Right now! You're wasting my time!" Moats yelled. "I don't understand why you can't understand that."

As they argued, the officer got irritated. "Shut your mouth," the officer said. "You can either settle down and cooperate or I can just take you to jail for running a red light."

The exchange soon ended and Powell returned to his cruiser to write a ticket. A few minutes later, another officer approached Powell to tell him a nurse said the mother-in-law was dying right then and Moats needed to get into the hospital.

"All right. I'm almost done," Powell said in response.

When Moats and Collinsworth's father entered the hospital, they learned Collinsworth had died, The Dallas Morning News reported in Thursday's editions.

The Moatses, who are black, said they can't help but think that race might have played a part in how Powell, who is white, treated them.

"I think he should lose his job," said Ryan Moats, a Dallas native.

The ticket issued to Moats was dismissed, Harvey said.

"There were some things that were said that were disturbing, to say the least," he told the Dallas Morning News.

Powell told police officials he believed he was doing his job, said Dallas Police Assistant Chief Floyd Simpson.

[rillo]

F the police, I hope he sues.....what a sad story.

Texas cops are ridiculous

[Doggin94it]

Stupid cop, hope he gets fired. But Moats should have stopped arguing, because all it did was make it take longer

[Norway'sWaddlingMarmaloof]

Stupid cop, hope he gets fired. But Moats should have stopped arguing, because all it did was make it take longer

You're right. But I bet anger, sadness, grief, etc, made that awfully hard at the time. I give him credit for not snapping.

[AFJF]

Stupid cop, hope he gets fired. But Moats should have stopped arguing, because all it did was make it take longer

I see where you're coming from but I have to disagree. I think he was in one of those situations where you're not thinking clearly (surprised he even slowed down at the red light, I don't know that I would have) and was probably in shock/disbelief over the fact that this doucebag was writing him a ticket for rolling through a red light, with his hazards on to see his dying mother-in-law. Most times I'd say any victim of police stupidity should play the "yes sir, yes sir" game but this was a whole different situation. I give Moats a pass for not being albe to contain himself.

[ZachEY]

Stupid cop, hope he gets fired. But Moats should have stopped arguing, because all it did was make it take longer

Moats showed tremendous class and restraint as all of that was going on.

Honestly, if it were my family, I'd have told him to leave the ticket on my windsheild, and when he told me he would arrest me, told him to shoot me and walked into the building.

[New York Mick]

This guy ruins my faith in the human race.

You need to read more news that doesn't make the main headlines, people do a lot more ****ed up **** then this. Oh yea, I don't have any faith in the human race we're pretty ****ed up.

[Bugeater]

Huh, I wasn't aware that it's OK to run red lights if you have a dying family member in the hospital.

[JerryK]

Huh, I wasn't aware that it's OK to run red lights if you have a dying family member in the hospital.

If it's a light directly in front of the hospital, and someone's dying, I'd run it 100 times.

I've heard many times stories of cops "finding out you're having an emergency" and "escorting you" at high speed to the hospital.

I'm sure the cop just went through his checklist:

Need to make quota? Check.

Red light? Check.

Black Guy? Check.

Need benefit of a doubt? (see the black guy part)

[Arsis]

Huh, I wasn't aware that it's OK to run red lights if you have a dying family member in the hospital.

I was unaware that running a red light was enough of a threat level to skip all of the other steps and pull your gun. I don't know about Texas but in NYC you're not supposed to pull your gun unless the other person has a knife or a gun or some other weapon that is capable of killing. When you pull your gun the situation has to be warranted of lethal force. You don't pull your gun to write someone a traffic ticket.

[Bugeater]

I dunno, I just think this whole thing is being blown way out of proportion. How did they know she was about to die? Maybe they should've came to hospital sooner if it was that important to be there. I just don't see why he should've been excused from breaking traffic laws.

[Arsis]

I dunno, I just think this whole thing is being blown way out of proportion. How did they know she was about to die? Maybe they should've came to hospital sooner if it was that important to be there. I just don't see why he should've been excused from breaking traffic laws.

There is a point to having laws. That is to protect people. Cops are agents of that law not above the law. You see this cop being as *******. Telling him to shut up. keeping talk **** after he stopped talking. This cop is being a dick for no reason. The whole point of people a cop is to protect people not terrorize and antagonize them. Even if the person is being a dick, the cop has to keep his cool and not act like an *******.

[Bugeater]

I was unaware that running a red light was enough of a threat level to skip all of the other steps and pull your gun. I don't know about Texas but in NYC you're not supposed to pull your gun unless the other person has a knife or a gun or some other weapon that is capable of killing. When you pull your gun the situation has to be warranted of lethal force. You don't pull your gun to write someone a traffic ticket.

I'm not saying the cop handled the situation perfectly, but Moats sure as hell didn't either. There's enough blame to go around here, but as usual everyone wants to just pile on the cop.

[Borgoguy]

Moats showed tremendous class and restraint as all of that was going on.

Honestly, if it were my family, I'd have told him to leave the ticket on my windsheild, and when he told me he would arrest me, told him to shoot me and walked into the building.

I agree with EY. There are times when you do what's in your heart no matter the consequences. I will also say that, if I were Moats, I'd find the guy off duty and knock his teeth out. Just a deplorable human being. These are situations when I hope an afterlife or karma are real. Maybe he gets his liver eaten for eternity, just like our pal Prometheus.

[afosomf]

I dunno, I just think this whole thing is being blown way out of proportion. How did they know she was about to die? Maybe they should've came to hospital sooner if it was that important to be there. I just don't see why he should've been excused from breaking traffic laws.

you can't be serious

if that was my Mom dying, he would have had to shoot me in the back

My MIL not so much...j/k not sure i would take a bullet though:D

[Arsis]

I'm not saying the cop handled the situation perfectly, but Moats sure as hell didn't either. There's enough blame to go around here, but as usual everyone wants to just pile on the cop.

The cop was wrong. I'm sorry but that is the exact wrong way for a cop to handle any situation. When you are taught to interact with the public in the police academy this is what the tell you not to do. You're not supposed to threaten them. You got an EDP and you threaten him? does that make the situation better? or worse? You're not supposed to escalate to lethal force, which he did by pulling his gun, Without merit.

[Larz]

kudos to moats for not beating the crap out of the cop

he showed amazing restraint

[Bugeater]

you can't be serious

if that was my Mom dying, he would have had to shoot me in the back

My MIL not so much...j/k not sure i would take a bullet though:D

If it was my mom dying, and it was that important for me to be there when she passed, I sure as hell wouldn't wait until the last minute to go there.

The cop was wrong. I'm sorry but that is the exact wrong way for a cop to handle any situation. When you are taught to interact with the public in the police academy this is what the tell you not to do. You're not supposed to threaten them. You got an EDP and you threaten him? does that make the situation better? or worse? You're not supposed to escalate to lethal force, which he did by pulling his gun, Without merit.

Did you miss the part where I agreed that the cop didn't handle the situation properly? But on the flip side, if this guy doesn't break a traffic law this never happens.

[afosomf]

If it was my mom dying, and it was that important for me to be there when she passed, I sure as hell wouldn't wait until the last minute to go there.

Did you miss the part where I agreed that the cop didn't handle the situation properly? But on the flip side, if this guy doesn't break a traffic law this never happens.

hello do you know the exact circumstances? People live in different cities

you know, people actually fly airplanes and rent cars...Sh1t happens

[AFJF]

If it was my mom dying, and it was that important for me to be there when she passed, I sure as hell wouldn't wait until the last minute to go there.

Did you miss the part where I agreed that the cop didn't handle the situation properly? But on the flip side, if this guy doesn't break a traffic law this never happens.

You've got to be kidding me. Do you honestly think that in this particular situation, the Moats family was told what time the mother was going to die and they said "cool, we'll be there about two minutes before she goes" or do you think they got a phone call saying "she's taken a turn for the worse and probably doesn't have long, you may want to get here ASAP". To sit here and say they "waited 'til the last minute" is just insane. Based on the way they reacted I'm gonna go out on a limb and say they didn't get a whole lot of notice that the woman was going to pass. The cop should be absolutely blamed 100% in this situation and anybody who would NOT run a red light to see a dying relative who they care about is a sad human being.

[Bugeater]

You've got to be kidding me. Do you honestly think that in this particular situation, the Moats family was told what time the mother was going to die and they said "cool, we'll be there about two minutes before she goes" or do you think they got a phone call saying "she's taken a turn for the worse and probably doesn't have long, you may want to get here ASAP". To sit here and say they "waited 'til the last minute" is just insane. Based on the way they reacted I'm gonna go out on a limb and say they didn't get a whole lot of notice that the woman was going to pass. The cop should be absolutely blamed 100% in this situation and anybody who would NOT run a red light to see a dying relative who they care about is a sad human being.

I don't know how it went down, but even if it went the way you described, "get here ASAP" doesn't mean you are allowed to break traffic laws. And no, I wouldn't feel like I had the right to break them if it was my mother either. If that makes me a sad human being, whatever, she is going to die either way. Me being there makes no difference whatsoever in the grand scheme of things.

[AFJF]

I don't know how it went down, but even if it went the way you described, "get here ASAP" doesn't mean you are allowed to break traffic laws. And no, I wouldn't feel like I had the right to break them if it was my mother either. If that makes me a sad human being, whatever, she is going to die either way. Me being there makes no difference whatsoever in the grand scheme of things.

I guess it's all just case by case. Not every person on the planet loves or even gives a **** about their parents. I should have specified and made it clear that I was talking about your average person whose parents meant enough to them for them to want to be with them in their dying moments. I for one would have run the light and if the cop was right he wouldn't have been put on desk duty by his own superiors with their apologies.

[Arsis]

If it was my mom dying, and it was that important for me to be there when she passed, I sure as hell wouldn't wait until the last minute to go there.

Did you miss the part where I agreed that the cop didn't handle the situation properly? But on the flip side, if this guy doesn't break a traffic law this never happens.

Again, laws are there for a reason and that is to protect the greater good. However, there are things that transcend written laws. The Red light to meant to organize traffic so people don't die. The enforcement of that law at what looks to be 3AM on an empty street to that extent is silly. Yeah Yeah, no one is above the law blah blah blah. The guy's mother was dying and from what I heard in the video he was the one who was responsible for giving the order to resuscitate or not. You're telling me a minor traffic violation law is more important than that? That is just silly.

[Bugeater]

I guess it's all just case by case. Not every person on the planet loves or even gives a **** about their parents. I should have specified and made it clear that I was talking about your average person whose parents meant enough to them for them to want to be with them in their dying moments. I for one would have run the light and if the cop was right he wouldn't have been put on desk duty by his own superiors with their apologies.

Yep, that could only possibly mean I don't give a **** about my parents. You nailed it. And FYI, the cop was put on desk duty because of how he handled the situation, not because he pulled the guy over.

[Sperm Edwards]

I don't know how it went down, but even if it went the way you described, "get here ASAP" doesn't mean you are allowed to break traffic laws. And no, I wouldn't feel like I had the right to break them if it was my mother either. If that makes me a sad human being, whatever, she is going to die either way. Me being there makes no difference whatsoever in the grand scheme of things.

I wouldn't even know where to begin replying to this comment.

Cops - appropriately - judge situations & decide how serious a given infraction is all the time. You seriously think every cop writes out a ticket for every single thing they see every minute on the job? Good Lord, he saw Moats run a red light (and it was a rolling stop; it's not like he sped through it going 60mph) and pull into a friggin' hospital with his wife & in-laws, not into a 7-11 with a posse of street toughs in gang colors.

I guess Moats is ultimately at fault for not having a PBA card in his wallet. The good one with a cop's badge number on it, not the "I donated $25 and $20 of it went to a telemarketer" card.

(Having said that, I now fully expect a box of fresh dookie to be delivered to my house with a simple "GOB" as the return sender).

[AFJF]

Yep, that could only possibly mean I don't give a **** about my parents. You nailed it. And FYI, the cop was put on desk duty because of how he handled the situation, not because he pulled the guy over.

I have no way of knowing how you feel about your parents at all. All I know is that you said if your mother was minutes from death, you would rather sit and wait at a red light, than be by her side.

[Arsis]

I wouldn't even know where to begin replying to this comment.

Cops - appropriately - judge situations & decide how serious a given infraction is all the time. You seriously think every cop writes out a ticket for every single thing they see every minute on the job? Good Lord, he saw Moats run a red light (and it was a rolling stop; it's not like he sped through it going 60mph) and pull into a friggin' hospital with his wife & in-laws, not into a 7-11 with a posse of street toughs in gang colors.

I guess Moats is ultimately at fault for not having a PBA card in his wallet. The good one with a cop's badge number on it, not the "I donated $25 and $20 of it went to a telemarketer" card.

(Having said that, I now fully expect a box of fresh dookie to be delivered to my house with a simple "GOB" as the return sender).

GOB should be mad at the cop for making cops look bad.

[AFJF]

I wouldn't even know where to begin replying to this comment.

Cops - appropriately - judge situations & decide how serious a given infraction is all the time. You seriously think every cop writes out a ticket for every single thing they see every minute on the job? Good Lord, he saw Moats run a red light (and it was a rolling stop; it's not like he sped through it going 60mph) and pull into a friggin' hospital with his wife & in-laws, not into a 7-11 with a posse of street toughs in gang colors.

I guess Moats is ultimately at fault for not having a PBA card in his wallet. The good one with a cop's badge number on it, not the "I donated $25 and $20 of it went to a telemarketer" card.

(Having said that, I now fully expect a box of fresh dookie to be delivered to my house with a simple "GOB" as the return sender).

You nailed it Sperm. Common sense man. Dude rolls through a light to get to a friggin emergency room and after being told by security and medical personnel that the family member is dying he makes the guy wait for him to finish writing the ticket. Disgusting.

[AFJF]

GOB should be mad at the cop for making cops look bad.

Any cop who's willing to be objective and honest would have to be disgusted by this a-holes behavior.

[Bugeater]

Again, laws are there for a reason and that is to protect the greater good. However, there are things that transcend written laws. The Red light to meant to organize traffic so people don't die. The enforcement of that law at what looks to be 3AM on an empty street to that extent is silly. Yeah Yeah, no one is above the law blah blah blah. The guy's mother was dying and from what I heard in the video he was the one who was responsible for giving the order to resuscitate or not. You're telling me a minor traffic violation law is more important than that? That is just silly.

I'm no medical expert, but I'm pretty sure DNR orders are established well ahead of time. And once you let one person get away with it and set a legal precedent, it won't be long before we have a huge gray area in the law and people will be speeding and running red lights for everything they perceive to be an emergency.

[jetophile]

If it was my mom dying, and it was that important for me to be there when she passed, I sure as hell wouldn't wait until the last minute to go there.

Not for nothing, but that was one of the dumbest things I've ever read. And you're not a dumb guy.

[Arsis]

Any cop who's willing to be objective and honest would have to be disgusted by this a-holes behavior.

Plus if you watch the video it looks to be in the middle of the night without another car in sight.