Friday, September 03, 2010  
Search by keyword
Breaking News Alerts
Enter your email address to receive Breaking News Alerts

Sheriff ticketed by MHP

By John Howell Sr.

Panola Sheriff Otis Griffin said Monday that he received a citation for driving with an expired operator’s license on November 28.

“I was unaware that they had expired on my birthday,” the sheriff said. His birthday was November 19, he added.

“I went Monday and got my driver’s license renewed,” Griffin said. A citation for driving with an expired license is routinely dismissed if the driver has obtained the license by the time of the designated court appearance, the sheriff added.

A state trooper issued the citation in Lafayette County, the sheriff said.

“I’ve been in law enforcement for 25 years and I had great respect for David Bryan, but we’re working as good with Otis right now as sheriff as we ever have in Panola County,” said Mississippi Highway Patrol Captain Mike Wilkie, commander of MHP District Three headquartered in Batesville.


Visitor Comments
 
Submitted By: John Submitted: 12/8/2009
I understand being so busy that you can forget about renewing your DL. That being said, Sheriff Griffin's statement/excuse, “I was unaware that they had expired on my birthday,” is troubling. Every driver is expected to know when their DL expires. The fact that Mr. Griffin is a law enforcement officer only serves to make his excuse more ridiculous. On a sidenote...From the article, I can't decipher the actual timeline of events, so I cannot tell if the Sheriff renewed his license on November 30 or December 7. It would be helpful to the readers if the author would clarify which Monday is being referenced in the article's opening sentence and in the first quote attributed to Sheriff Griffin.

Submitted By: Mark Submitted: 12/8/2009
I have two points that folks should consider. First, I walk away with the impression that even the sheriff of Panola County is not above the law. I like that. Second, the excuse given is totally plausible and creditable. Before they changed the license numbers from your SSN to the new format, your license did expire at the end of the month of your birthday. It took some getting adjusted to it expiring on my birthday instead of the end of the month, especially since I only have to deal with it every 4 years.

Submitted By: November B'day too Submitted: 12/8/2009
I think it is silly that our DL's expire exactly on our birthday. Why do they not expire on the last day of the month as our inspection and tags do?

Submitted By: JR Submitted: 12/8/2009
THERE'S AN INFORMATION GAP HERE. FOR A TROOPER TO HAVE SEEN OTIS' LICENCE HE WOULD HAVE BEEN 1) DOING ROUTINE CHECKS AT A ROAD BLOCK; OR 2) STOPPED HIM FOR A MOVING VIOLATION. WHICH WAS IT? LETTING ONES LICENCE EXPIRE DUE TO AN OVER SITE IS ONE THING. BEING STOPPED FOR A MOVING VIOLATION - SAY 95 IN A 65 - WELL, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE. AND WHAT PROMPTED CAPTAIN WILKIE'S STATEMENT? IT SEEMS OUT OF CONTEXT UNLESS THERE IS MORE TO THE STORY.

Submitted By: GL Submitted: 12/8/2009
Come on Panolian. Anyone can see there's more to this story. Put your "big boy hat" on & go look at the troopers dash cam, listen to the tape & report the facts; ALL the facts.

Submitted By: smarty culottes Submitted: 12/8/2009
Judging by these comments, there must be some impropriety in play here. This article doesn't appear to be complete or "finished," as there are gaps in the information. Or maybe the MHP and the SD had information redacted (enter suspenseful/climactic music here)? How about keeping your comments to yourself until all the information is made available?

Submitted By: Carol Submitted: 12/9/2009
Why do you guys have to make something out of nothing ALL THE TIME!! So he got a ticket for expired driver's license, he corrected the situation.. Move on all ready..

Submitted By: CLAUDIA MARSHALL Submitted: 12/9/2009
I GET SO SICK AND TIRED OF EVERYTHING BEING ANALIZED TO DEATH. THE MAN IS HUMAN-HE SIMPLY FORGOT. I'LL PROBABLY FORGET TO RENEW MINE. AND IF HE DID GET STOPPED FOR SOMETHING, THEN SO BE IT. FOCUS ON SOMETHING ELSE BESIDES HUMAN ERR.

Submitted By: Tim Submitted: 12/9/2009
I agree with JR. Why was he pulled over and was he in a POV or one owned by panola county?

Submitted By: jerryc Submitted: 12/9/2009
Say it ain't so, is it so hard to remember to renew your permit to drive a motor vehicle? Is it so far away that it's difficult to have the time? No, he works right across the street and has a county car and county supplied fuel. I'm wondering what caused the stop to begin with and just what would happen to any other resident of the county with expired licence. Oh, now i remember, it's listed in the panolian arrest log every week. Yes, a simple mistake, what if it happened to you or I. Do you really think that a MHP officer would merely cite you and let you go,,,, really? Sheriff Griffin, your the Sheriff of Panola county, held to a much higher lawful standard then the lowly taxpayer.

Submitted By: SPCyberTiger Submitted: 12/9/2009
I just looked at my license and they expired on my birthday in November as well. Anyone that thinks you can't overlook this is an idiot. Do you look at your license on a daily/monthly basis?

Submitted By: Say What? Submitted: 12/10/2009
C'mon. This is merely "round 2" of the same old stuff that folks started up after he was announced the new sheriff. Some folks are going to be looking for anything to discredit the man. Its amusing that folks are suddenly concerned about such things. An expired license?....really?...I mean really now? Was any other folks that got tickets for that violation a subject to a news story? I think the bigger picture is being lost here. The sheriff did not use his badge to get out of a ticket, nor did he use his position to get it dismissed. The Trooper involved did his job as well with no regard of who he was writing the ticket to. The sheriff took care of the situation just like anyone else would have. Seems to me people should be happy that the system is working,....but then? What fun would THAT be when you sport such a small mind and a twisted worldview?? The world is SO much bigger than your front yard folks.

Submitted By: Who cares Submitted: 12/10/2009
I'm just surprised that there's nothing else of importance going on in our town that we even feel the need to put this IN the paper. WHO CARES? He forgot to renew his license. Big deal. We've had officers and other people of high authority in this community to do MUCH worse and it's brushed under the rug. Get over it.

Submitted By: November b'day too Submitted: 12/10/2009
Thank you, SPCyber Tiger! The last time I looked at my license that closely was the last time I renewed it. Since I am not in the habit of doing things to make the law enforcement officers whip my DL out, I never really look at it in between. Poor excuse, maybe, but at least I don't cry foul when I have to pay a fine for being late when renewing.

Submitted By: Joel Submitted: 12/10/2009
SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!@!!!! It isn't going to change, all the moaning and groaning isn't going to change it. If you need to complain, do it about something that matters!!!

Submitted By: me Submitted: 12/10/2009
When your driver's license expires IT expires... THEY don't expire. It is A license, not multiple licenses.

Submitted By: voice Submitted: 12/12/2009
All of you all is stupid, You already know that it would be conflict when a black man became sheriff. Seems as if people want t blame other for the death of the former sheriff. That just goes to show you that there is something else that we need to work on. There is most definitely more things that we need to focus our attention on rather than mess. You people are the worst case scenario that I have ever ran across in my life. Making the city better would be the first, who in the Sam .... got any concern about Health Care? What about the fact that the people of this town is afraid to get treatment at local hospital. How about putting all of that energy into something that really matters. DUCKS!!!!!!

Submitted By: i'm with you, smarty culottes Submitted: 12/12/2009
The paper--along with a lot of other people--are making a lot out this than what is actually there. Yes, you can get a ticket for having an expired license. The sheriff got a ticket. Lots of people (including some of the bitter and small-minded commenters on here)receive tickets and most likely deserve them. The end. The intelligence--mainly the lack thereof--in our county is staggering sometimes. "OMG teh sheriff got a ticket! He did wrong! I don't like him so I and I don't think he should be sheriff anymore!" Sorry for the rant, but people in this town act like their brains were deprived of oxygen or something.

Submitted By: to voice Submitted: 12/14/2009
"all of you all is stupid" You my friend need to go back to school and learn how to read and write correctly before you call someone else STUPID. You made the only comment in the entire section that made no sense at all, dont try to sound smarter than you really are cause it makes you look dumb. ENGLISH is the correct language not EBONICS.........



Current conditions
79°F
Partly Cloudy
Batesville, MS
Radar & More >>
Advertisers
click ad below for details
 
View All Ads
 

This website is powered by Web Advertising, Inc.  For more information on how we can provide your business or organization with a professional website, please Click Here.