Andrews – The mayor’s son received a traffic ticket after damaging a police car during an alleged improper turn.
Jacob Daniel Reid, 27, received a traffic citation for “failing to see before turning from a direct lane that such movement could be made in safety,” according to the ticket obtained by the Cherokee Scout.
Officials say the Welcome Home Tribute to Veterans parade was about to start on Halloween morning when Reid pulled into the left lane at a traffic light on Main Street around the same time an Andrews police officer pulled into the right lane. Instead of turning left, Reid turned right and hit the police car with the flatbed of his truck.
“He ran all over the top of the patrol car and pushed it onto the sidewalk,” Cherokee County Sheriff Derrick Palmer said. “It damaged the car from the front bumper to the rear bumper.”
However, a citizen told the Scout that an eyewitness reported seeing Reid’s turn signal flashing when the officer tried to “squeeze” past him in the right lane, while Reid swung wide to make a righthand turn.
Adding insult to the accident, Reid left the officer pinned inside the vehicle while he went inside a nearby convenience store to make a purchase. Officials say Reid’s truck prevented the police officer from opening his door to exit the vehicle. After Reid jumped out of the truck and peered through the police car’s windshield to ensure the officer was uninjured, he entered the store for a caffeine fix.
“Jacob ran around the front, looked through the front windshield and asked if the officer was OK,” Palmer said. “He said, ‘Yeah I’m fine.’ And Jacob said, ‘I’m going over here to get a cup of coffee, do you want one?’ ”
When later asked why he turned right from the left lane, Reid allegedly told police he wanted to swing wide into the gas station and didn’t realize the police car was beside him.
A N.C. Highway Patrol officer was dispatched to the scene to investigate the accident. The Andrews police officer was not found to be in fault. The insurance companies are investigating the claims made by eyewitnesses.
Officials say the accident caused about $10,000 worth of damage to the lone police car the town planned to keep as they trade in the other four for newer models.