Storm chaser arrested in Texas

[David Drummond]

Just for illustration, here is the rest area:

And a view of the area from 2 miles high. The location of the rest area marked in blue, the green arrow is Crane, TX. All those "roads" you see are oil field access roads. It's the only thing out there.

 

[Dennis Sherrod]

I found a better picture of the now famous rest area today while out chasing.


Actually, this was in Townley, AL. and I took the picture today. (Only in Alabama!)

 

[Brent Gilles]

I can't say much that hasn't already been said. From the tape that I have seen it appears the LEO was out of line, but I'd also like to see the entire tape, start to finish as that was just a small portion of the whole encounter I think.

Personally, I've had several encounters with LEO's while out chasing and in much more dangerous positions than that (actual side of the road and not a rest stop). They are usually eager to talk and pick up any little bits of information for their own understanding.

 

[mikedeason]

I found a better picture of the now famous rest area today while out chasing.


Actually, this was in Townley, AL. and I took the picture today. (Only in Alabama!)

LOL, that's about a mile from my girlfriend's house! I've been meaning to stop and get a picture of it as well, if not put it to use!

 

[jason kissam]

at our fire dept we had "issues" with the local deputies bugging our members our chief said if it continues all we got to do is change the combo on the doors and keep them out of the stations... after that we had cruisers going in our parking lots taking down license plate numbers. private property right?

as in the rest area case how is it the chaser's fault that other people dont know how to park... the video only shows the deputy's reaction to something that happened prior to any tape rolling theres always two sides to the story and i can see both sides. but also mr barnes in my opinion in no way resisted arrest or deserved to be treated like that.

all that comes to mind right now is (im a storm chaser, dont tase me bro!)

i became a firefighter cause cops need heroes too!

 

[Rob Lightbown]

I've been monitoring this thread since its inception and also have been monitoring the thread on Wx-Chase as well. I finally got to see the video of the incident this morning (at least the one available on KOCO TV).

What struck me was how rough the deputy was to Brian. I didn't see Brian resisting or putting up a fight....but the deputy seemed to be pulling Brian around like he was a rag doll. Definitely no need of that!!...very unprofessional and is beyond reasonable force. I'd really like to see the entire video from start to finish to get some perspective of the entire event.

One other thing that struck me is that this kind of reminds of a story that my fiancee told me that happened to her. She was driving from Albuquerque to Lubbock one evening about 3 years ago and she was pulled over in Swisher County, TX for doing 68 in a 65 and she was given the riot act and was asked a million questions on where she got the car, why she went to Albuquerque, etc, etc. The story behind that is that she was visiting her family in Lubbock, had to rent a car, and wanted to take a day and visit Albuquerque.

I honestly believe that most cops are good people and normally don't hassle citizens, chasers, etc. But, like most other things, one or two power hungry unprofessional officers ruin it for the rest. Personally, if it were me, I would've obeyed the officer and gone on my way....especially it being so rural and **anything** could happen. I give it to Brian for "standing up" to the officer and not rolling over and taking it and I stand behind him and believe that the cop was definitely very wrong, unprofessional and was way out of line. Although, like I said at the beginning of this post, I'd like to see the entire video to see what exactly transpired....but for legal reasons....I know that won't happen for quite a while.

So, now I'm going to hop off of my soapbox and go have some lunch....lol...

 

[rdale]

I just did a lookup on TX Commission on Fire Protection and in Williamson County alone I counted 14 departments that list themselves as volunteer or mixed.

Nobody questioned that volunteer fire departments exist. You are saying that they are not connected to government - I think we came to the conclusion that a large majority are. Therefore they can go behing the fire lines.

99.999999% of police don't treat us as casual either, this one did. I actually think chaser and spotter/tornado and volunteer fireman/fireline is almost a perfect example.

No, because the firefighter is operating as an agent of the local government. He's protected by that agency's insurance. Joe Spotter, not DIRECTLY affiliated with any government agency, is not afforded that protection.

So that's why the comparison doesn't stand up.

 

[rdale]

Mainly because both are acting to potentially protect life or property by the knowledge they have, neither agents of the Gov. and both simply assiting the public becuase the Gov. is slower or does not currently have the means to do so. Same as a standard person rendering aid.

Guess everything is different in Texas In the rest of the country, firefighters cross the fire lines because they are firefighters. Not because they are citizens.

In the end - either way - it doesn't change this case.

 

[Aaron Dooley]

Right, again a difference between volunteer and professional/civil service. Volunteers do it becasue they care, same with many of us. Not really different in TX than most other places, read the statutes in your state and show me the difference.

Guess everything is different in Texas In the rest of the country, firefighters cross the fire lines because they are firefighters. Not because they are citizens.

In the end - either way - it doesn't change this case.

 

[Chris Sokol]

I understand what rdale is trying to say here. A volunteer firefighter is a part of an officially recognized agency, with a direct connection to local government. A chaser that is in a location that is not his home area (even if it were, it wouldn't make a difference) is not, even if he chooses to report what he is seeing to the NWS or local public safety departments. That person really just falls into the "educated citizen" catagory.

And let me also state that I totally disagree with what the deputy did in this case...but just don't try to make this into something that it is not. He was not acting as an officially designated spotter with an official agency, thereby he would not be afforded any special privileges.

Oh...and a lot of professionals do the job because they care as well.

 

[Shane Adams]

I wonder how this woulda went down in the same situation, except the chaser was in an "unmarked" chase vehicle, and had stopped to take a wizz. Or maybe a motor home with children who needed a "nature break".

Somehow I don't see it happening the same.

 

[JR Hehnly]

Shane, you didn't read the rules for Crane County. The rest area was built by the state, but the county doesn't want foreigners actually using it. I wonder if this is the Footloose county where they banned dancing.

 

[J Holder]

There are at times serious animosity between cops and firefighters on scene.

There's a Youtube video of a FF Captain being arrested for blocking a lane of traffic at an injury accident after the cop told him to move the truck. The FF successfully sued the cop and won.

A buddy of mine was a apparatus operator responding to the scene of a farm house fire where some idiot Iowa Highway patrolman was blocking the road to the house and refused to move his car for the fire truck. Wayne went through Dudley Dooright's Crwon vic and pushed into a ditch. THe Iowa super troop did a lot of posturing but that's all that came from it.

 

[Dennis Sherrod]

There are at times serious animosity between cops and firefighters on scene.

A buddy of mine was a apparatus operator responding to the scene of a farm house fire where some idiot Iowa Highway patrolman was blocking the road to the house and refused to move his car for the fire truck. Wayne went through Dudley Dooright's Crwon vic and pushed into a ditch. THe Iowa super troop did a lot of posturing but that's all that came from it.

I have been hearing the same story for the last 25 years. The only difference is the location and whether it was a city, county, or state officer.
Must be a lot of police cars in the road refusing to move for fire trucks.

 

[Jason Foster]

May have already been said

To me, there is one main factor for chasers during chase time. As much as I also would have wanted to argue with the officer, because I tend to be one that believes in personal rights, that I too would have just moved this time.......which is the same reason I avoid hail, as fun as it is to play in it.....I want to chase another/next day. Not spend time arguing, or in jail.

For Chris C: "It's Lauran"....lol