Storm chaser arrested in Texas

[Terry Tyler]

Lesson learned here? Officer asks you to leave..you close your mouth and leave.

exactly, whether yall like it or not...thats "disorderly conduct"...

if the cop says move, you are obstructing traffic...whether you like it or not, you better move or your going to jail...its that simple...

the cop was doing his job...making money for a piss-poor one horse county...

 

[Gerard Jebaily]

There have probably been hundreds (if not thousands) of friendly encounters between chasers and law enforcement officers over the years. This single instance, in which something went terribly wrong, is the one that's generating all the publicity and flap. I can't see that as being a good thing.

I have a healthy respect for law enforcement officers. The average law enforcement officer is still expected to be able to, for example, subdue an armed, cocaine-addled suspect, and wade into dangerous situations that the rest of us would prefer to avoid. However, as has been repeatedly pointed out on this thread, the average storm chaser will know more about weather than the average law enforcement officer. For this reason, I seek to assist law enforcement whenever I can (offering data, information, etc.)

While I'm as staunch a proponent of civil liberties as you're likely to find, I find it's almost never worth it to tangle with people who carry loaded guns, have the power to lock you up, or to make your life miserable for months as you drag your case out through the courts. I suspect Mr. Barnes will experience some pangs of regret as he realizes how much of his time will be consumed by this case in the coming months.

Very well spoken and I am in much agreement. I do wish however that,

A) LEOs would realize that "the average storm chaser will know more about weather than the average law enforcement officer" and therefore consider and or respect our judgements about threatening weather(most of them do from my own personal encounters). The same way we respect their judgments about dangers to public safety on roadways.

and B) LEOs would be required to take the basic skywarn class as part of their training.

 

[cdcollura]

No comment here. Just gets me sick, seeing a LEO taking his job too seriously.

 

[Cstok]

Couple of thoughts

Who ever is right or wrong this is the kind of attention to storm chasing that is unfortunate. It brings up the issues / discussions before about the potential for storm chasing becoming illegal. Of course each state / county would have it's own laws on the isssue. The good that storm chasing does seems to always go unreported for the most part, and it the the bad that gets amplified (no judgment on either party in this issue, just pointing out that this brings negative publicity).

I would think in these types of grey areas, you need to weigh the two sides. Does the value of spotting and then reporting to local media / NWS offices (keeping hundreds / thousands of people safe / informed) outweigh the danger posed by a few people (ok sometimes more) pulled over on the side of the road. I believe that the value in spotting / reporting FAR outweighs the issue of cars pulling off the side of the road to view a storm.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Adam Lucio]

"Crane County Sheriff Robert DeLeon said the incident happened after weather spotter Brian Taylor Barnes, of Violent Skies Tours, hadn't reported to the Crane Emergency Operations Center - "like all the other weather spotters.""

What a load of *insert long string of obscene words here*

The NWS issues the tornado warnings, im no expert on the warning process but I imagine the EOC alone doesnt have the authority to issue a warning [correct me if Im wrong tho] if anything they probably just activate the sirens so if they get no warning how do they activate sirens?

Does anyone here phone in reports to the EOC? So for him to say "like all weather spotters" is a total horse load of dung.

 

[Jeremy Bower]

EOC connection

As everyone else, I was quite shocked to learn of the events that took place in Crane County, TX. Then the comment from the Crane County Sheriff about Brian not reporting storm reports to the local EOC, really drew my attention to this situation.

I have the unique experience of not only being a storm chaser that has had good and bad experiences with law enforcement but also currently having a position with a Emergency Operations Center in Lincoln, NE. Lincoln's EOC is very well put together and not only are we receiving all spotter reports from our county spotters, we also receive any reports called into the Omaha/Valley NWS from storm chasers. Lincoln EOC has direct ham radio linked to all local towns and to OAX as well. Any severe weather reported to the EOC is then relayed to law enforcement so they are aware of the potential situation. Bottom line is....any severe weather that is reported within the county, the EOC will have that information almost immediately.

The comment from the sheriff makes me believe that either:

1)The Crane County EOC has no communication or very little communication with the San Angelo NWS, or
2)Crane County storm spotters (if they have any) have little or no communication with the county EOC., or
3)It’s a combination of both

The only thing the EOC can do is relay the information it is given by their storm spotters or by the National Weather Service that serves its county. The EOC is also responsible for sharing any information that pertains to a potential local hazard to law enforcement.

 

[Warren Faidley]

What a bunch of bunk.

A good attorney will hack them to pieces, as should the County or State Attorney General offices.

I seriously doubt the deputy "checked with sources" to see if Barnes was indeed "registered" with a "spotter group." If so, he certainly wasted valuable, potentially life saving time if he thought there was indeed a serious threat, to warrant Barnes removal. The Sheriff's (after the fact) quotes reeks of an attempt to paint Barnes in some kind of negative light. My gut feeling is they are building an "out" against a wrongful arrest suit. The original complaint, or so I understand, was Barnes was obstructing traffic by being safely parked in a rest stop. (Better than a lot of us do while stopping). That's it - period. And even that was debunked by multiple witnesses. I'm assuming the deputy became irritated when Barnes tried to explain his case. If the Sheriff thinks he can start "licensing chasers and/or spotters," he is mistaken. What's next, DUI type check points to see if we have spotter or media cards? If Barnes had been speeding or blocking the road -- this would have been a different story. Even the NWS in Midland confirms he was assisting them! Unless something is missing here, it sounds like Barnes did everything right from a chasing ethics point of view.

Thank God we don't chase down there much.

Barnes, if you read this email, contact me off line and I'll help you out in anyway I can.

W.

 

[Warren Faidley]

On a lighter note.... can you imagine the deputies reaction if he saw the TIV parked! I'm sure it would have resulted in a regional SWAT call-out!

W.

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

Wow, so it was more to do with being "in danger" than it was "creating danger". What a load of BS. "This storm is threatening, you're going to jail son." Soooo threatening the cop has time to arrest your ass. Maybe a super spotter certification would prevent this. Hmmm. It's funny they felt the need to mention that crap as well, as if it gets you more rights to be there watching the storm if you're spotting. The whole Sherrif's reply has a lot of holes in it. It mentions a bunch of "details" none of which pertain to the charge that they arrested him on.

 

[Dann Cianca]

Would someone mind posting the link to Brian's account and the raw video? I've seen them mentioned several times, but haven't seen a link...

Sorry if I missed it.

Thanks

 

[rdale]

EOC alone doesnt have the authority to issue a warning [correct me if Im wrong tho] if anything they probably just activate the sirens so if they get no warning how do they activate sirens?

They can't issue a warning, but they can have the sirens sound if they feel conditions are worthy of it (regardless of a warning.)

 

[Ryan McGinnis]

Who ever is right or wrong this is the kind of attention to storm chasing that is unfortunate. It brings up the issues / discussions before about the potential for storm chasing becoming illegal. Of course each state / county would have it's own laws on the isssue. The good that storm chasing does seems to always go unreported for the most part, and it the the bad that gets amplified (no judgment on either party in this issue, just pointing out that this brings negative publicity).

I disagree. I think this is the best kind of publicity. You can't pay for this kind of publicity, with the public metaphorically banging on the county sheriff's office with pitchforks and torches. All media coverage to this point has been highly negative of Crane County LE. They are, in effect, a lightning rod, and this bolt can be seen by law enforcement for many miles around. If you arrest storm chasers for the crime of chasing storms, you get to deal with hundreds of angry phone calls and international press. I suspect LEO officers who come in contact with this story will be motivated to learn up on spotters and chasers.

 

[david diehl]

what a load of crap, reporting to the EOC like all other spotter, cannot the officer see that Brian was on charge of a tour group, probelly not even from Crane County?, What the Freaking heck is with this, does this mean that I need to have the EOC Number for all counties that I chase through?, I think not, Storm chasing is my hobby, and I am not associated with any other EOC than the one in my home County, so unless there is a law saying that I have to register with all EOC's that I travel through that officer can kiss my royal white rear end

 

[Jody Radzik]

Don't blindly follow anyone, know the law and follow it.

Moving because a sheriff demands it is not blindly following anyone, it's making sure I don't get arrested. If I'm out chasing storms, I want to be chasing storms, not sitting in the back of a cruiser with handcuffs cutting into my wrists. Just because a LEO is wrong, even WAY wrong, doesn't mean he still can't arrest you. Whether or not you prevail in court after the fact, you just missed the rest of the chase. I'm all for civil disobiedence as a way to highlight injustice, I'm just not going to do it when I've driven 800 miles to chase storms.

 

[Darrin Rasberry]

Would someone mind posting the link to Brian's account and the raw video? I've seen them mentioned several times, but haven't seen a link...

Sorry if I missed it.

Thanks

It's the link on the very first post in the thread

This also now includes a third video of last night's news cast, including some comments sent to that particular news station. http://www.kwes.com/global/story.asp?s=8286980