On Saturday Oct. 17, I was involved in a car accident on the Patuxent River Naval Air Station. I was driving coming to a four way intersection with all four lights flashing red. I came to a stop and noticed a white car far off to my right. I proceeded to cross the intersection but half way through I noticed that the car was approaching too fast and did not appear to stop or slow down so I attempted to speed up to avoid it but I couldn't.
The vehicle hit the back passenger's side of my Jeep and caused it to spin out of control and flip. Attached to my seatbelt I waited shocked by what just happened. The man who hit me, a man in a khaki uniform and green jacket approached me concerned and waited with me till help came.
Regardless of who was at fault, I automatically felt intimidated by his high ranking uniform. I was taken to the hospital by ambulance after the accident so I was unable to give a full statement at the scene. The next day, 0ct. 18, I met with one of the officers from the scene to give my statement at the parking lot just inside the second gate of the base.
I wrote my statement and after I was done the police officer attempted to hand me a pre-written ticket that stated that I had failed to stop at a red flashing traffic light. At the time of the accident there were no other vehicles in sight. So how could I get a ticket off a conclusion?
I refused to sign and accept the ticket. Then the police officer advised me that at that point I had only two options, that I either sign the ticket or that I would be arrested and taken to jail. My mother and I both refused many times and every 5 minutes it seemed that more and more military police officers approached.
They intended to intimidate me and threaten me with arrest. I again refused so the officer that was initially giving me the ticket called his Sergeant and told me that when he came that I would not be asked again and again, that he would give me my options and if I refused I would be arrested on the spot.I told them that I was going to call the state police because that did not sound right to me at all but the MP said that it would be a waste of time because they had no jurisdiction there.
I felt hopeless and intimidated and as though I had no rights. In the end I signed the ticket but I felt like I was intimidated and wrongfully accused of something I did not do. How is it that I got hit and almost died and recieved a ticket but the high ranking official got a warning? Where is the justice or is the military base a free zone in which they make up and create their own laws?