The penalty to refusing a chemical test while driving is the same as testing over the limit. And no, signing a ticket is not an admission of guilt - it does however constitute a "bond" that you have been notified of charges and will appear in court to contest, or plead guilty by accepting penalty.
So, if you refuse to sign the ticket (bond), then you are to be brought to the parish seat and booked into the custody of that parish Sheriff, then bond will be set for your release. In the event of a traffic charge, those bonds are already listed and range from $0.00 to $1000. More serious charges, you bypass the citation and wait to see a judge for bond hearing (felonies). **This is state/federal LAW!!!!!!!
So, I would refuse to sign his warning/citation, produce my badge, and tell him the ball is in his court. Is he going to handcuff me, put a PFD on me and bring me in, all the while assuming the liability of my people on my boat? I think not! Is he going to follow us all day and get me when I get to the bank???? Boy, I hope so!!! That means everyone else would get to fish without all this crapola!
Look, I'm in law enforcement, and this is a joke!!! I can't get federal money to assist our department with criminal work on I-10, but they can send man power and boat to hit us for catching a species of fish that is almost to a "nusiance level". This situation really does need a "test case".
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04-09-2013, 04:19 PM
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