A driver in Texas who was pulled over for allegedly doing 50 mph in a 40 mph zone claimed he didn't have to cooperate with police because speeding isn't a crime.
Not surprisingly, the encounter didn't end well for him.
Scott Richardson, 49, was pulled over in Addison on May 2 for speeding. But a video of the encounter going viral this week shows him arguing that the police officer had no right to stop him, no right to ask for ID and no right to even enforce speeding laws at all.
"As a man, what right do you have to stop another man?" Richardson asks the police officer as the clip, above, begins.
"The state of Texas has given me the right to enforce the law," the officer, who is not identified, says. He then tells Richardson he is being stopped for speeding and asks for identification.
Richardson doesn't comply and instead insists that speeding is not illegal. Speaking through a window opened just a crack, he says:
"Speeding in and of itself is not a crime. According to the state of Texas, the actual -- um -- it is the -- um -- oh, you know, the attorney general. Not the attorney general but the prosecutor. Yes, the DA! The DA is the one who stated on page 19 that speeding in and of itself is not a crime. It is not illegal."
Richardson also insists that the officer can't detain him without a warrant.
It's unclear how long they had been speaking before the video starts, but the clip shows Richardson arguing that speeding isn't a crime and that he doesn't have to show ID for about four minutes before the officer warns that he will break the window if Richardson doesn't present ID.
At about the 4:14 mark, the officer does just that.
After removing the shattered safety glass, the officer opens the door and pulls Richardson from the car. From that point forward, the camera only features audio but the officer can be heard telling Richardson that he's under arrest for failure to identify.
Later, after Richardson has been presumably placed into the back of a police vehicle, the officer can be heard speaking to someone else.
"He's giving me the Republic of Texas crap," the officer says. "Saying I stopped him illegally and I don't have a right to detain him."
"For speeding?" the other person asks.
"Yeah, that's all it was," the officer says. "That's all it was."
Peter Schulte, a former police officer who is now a lawyer, told CBS DFW that the officer acted correctly.
“I would have pulled him out sooner. I would have said we’re done,” Schulte told the station.
Richardson, naturally, has a different point of view.
“I think I did the right thing," he told the station. "I stood my ground and I protected my rights."
It's unclear what rights Richardson was protecting. The Chronicle reports that the Texas transportation code allows for the enforcement of speed limits, and that speeding is considered probable cause to allow a police officer to detain a citizen and ask for identification.
However, Richardson told FOX that he has no regrets about the incident and insists he was right not to present his ID.
"This is not Nazi Germany," he said.
Richardson was not charged with speeding and was instead given just a warning on that charge, according to the Chronicle. He was charged with driving with an invalid license, driving with an expired license plate and failure to present his license upon lawful demand.
CBS reports that Richardson plans to represent himself in court.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.