A 54-year-old Delaware man received a $50,000 judgment with the Delaware State Police for violating his civil rights after state officers cited him for flipping the bird to officers and then standing on the roadsign with a sign warning of an upcoming speed trap.
Per NBC News, three officers stopped as Jonathan Guessford stood on the side of the road holding a hand-written sign that read “Radar Ahead!” The officers warned Guessford that he could be cited for impeding traffic, but Guessford rebutted that he was on the side of the road. As a car drove by, Guessford raised his sign to inform the driver, prompting one of the officers to grab the sign and tear it in half.
The officers released Guessford without a citation, but as he drove away, he gave the three troopers the Finger. The officers stopped him again–one of the patrol cars recorded exceeding 100 m.p.h. in a 55 m.p.h. zone to catch Guessford–citing him for “using an improper turn signal.” The officers are heard laughing on their bodycam audio about hanging the charge on Guessford; that charge was later dropped. One of the officers that the trio could arrest Guessford for disorderly conduct, confiscate his car, and send his child to a foster home.