Man ticketed by Police for giving a poor being some money [Video]

Police give man a ticket for giving poor person some money.

Published On Thursday, May 24, 2012

http://www.yourjewishnews.com/Pages/20259.aspx

A random act of kindness landed a man in trouble with the police.
Last Monday, May 14 John Davis was exiting I-90 West 117th ramp, when he saw a man in a wheelchair. The man was pale, thin, with a sign that had a religious saying and also a plea for help.

John thought to himself: “I think we’re all to help the less fortunate.”
The man of the middle class family of Elyria works hard for a living and enjoys helping all the people who are physically challenged.
“I have a brother who is paralyzed,” said John, “My brother is in the same situation and struggles.”

John reached into his wallet and took a couple of dollars to give to man. As he approached the light at the end, he rolled the money up vertically and stretched his arm out the window. He says, the man touched the cash and one of the dollars fell.
The man then reached down and picked it up.

Moments later, as John traveled north on West 117th, a Cleveland police officer stopped him.
“He proceeds to tell me he is pulling me over for littering,” said John.
John and his friends who witnessed the exchange were very concerned.
The ticket did cite Section: 613.06 of the Municipal Code of Cleveland, which is littering from a motor vehicle.

His crime was listed as “throw the garbage out the window,” and in brackets, “money to a beggar.”
John said he was confused because the money is paper, but not garbage.
Cleveland police cannot comment on the ticket at this time, but a spokesman said that other codes may have been violated.
There is a code that makes it illegal to beg or to give money to beggars near a road or street, including a berm, shoulder, or sidewalk treelawn.

Section: 471.06 states in part that “No person shall remain on a highway to solicit contributions ……”
It also says “no driver” is “to transfer of funds …. to anyone standing on a street or highway.”

But John says that’s not what he was fined for. He was cited for littering from a motor vehicle and the officer advised him to “take it to court.”

John has plans to challenge the fine in court, especially because it lead to a heavy fine. It could cost $ 500, after adding the fine plus costs of the court.