Ford County Sheriffs Dept - refuses to respond...

[NoLongerInRadioGuy]

I agree...something probably should have been done before a trooper needed to be called. However, what exactly would you sue the county for? Were there any damages monetarily or otherwise accrued due to the deputy not taking a report? By the way, did you get an accident report from the trooper? Items falling from a vehicle in motion and hitting a vehicle in motion causing damage does meet the criteria from the state to qualify as an accident. This would also hit JAG's insurance if nothing else.

If you are going to sue someone, do what you are talking about - go after the negligent driver and the company.

[Bargod]

Originally Posted by Tee

The phone rang a few minutes later... It was Deputy Schrader calling to get the specifics of what had occured

Originally Posted by TexKan

Perhaps there was a domestic goin on, only one SO and that feller was new.

In all my days, there was only one Schrader at the Sheriff's office, and that was Shawn. In my memory, he was always a good officer, now, since I have been gone, things might have changed or it might be a completely different Schrader. I always had better luck dealing with the SO's than the police department so I would like to believe that the Deputy had a legitimate reason for not coming out.

[lurker]

A County Sheriff is hired by votes. Give him a call and ask for (or demand if necessary) a face-to-face meeting. Then you can decide which direction you want to go with your S-O issue.

On Elected Law Enforcement...

The underlying reason our S-O is more cordial than our P-D is because the Sheriff answers directly to the voters. WE hire and WE can fire the sheriff & also our county judges. Our Police Chief AND City Judge are insulated from voter influences and buffered by a City Manager.

In the S-O case when WE have a problem with an officer, WE can take it directly to an elected official -- The Sheriff -- the boss -- the guy WE elected to be the boss.

An issue with a P-D officer gets a run-around. Every City Commissioner will tell YOU to talk with the City Manager who will tell YOU to talk with the Police Chief's admin who will then take it under advisement and then you will be spun around like a bowling ball in a clothes dryer.

The City and County Commissioners have very carefully crafted the Manager style of government to keep them doing the dirty work, insulate them from disasters yet it allows them the praise and honors that are bestowed on the non-participants.

Dodge City would be a much nicer town if the Manager and Police Chief were elected every two years.

[Tee]

Originally Posted by Bargod

In all my days, there was only one Schrader at the Sheriff's office, and that was Shawn. In my memory, he was always a good officer, now, since I have been gone, things might have changed or it might be a completely different Schrader. I always had better luck dealing with the SO's than the police department so I would like to believe that the Deputy had a legitimate reason for not coming out.

Yes, it was Shawn. They weren't busy. I was fed some crap about it not being an accident, and not being criminal damage, therefore there was nothing they could do. I wasn't asking for the driver to be arrested- I just wanted a report filed. He refused to file even an incident report.

I had always liked and respected Shawn. So yes, I was very disappointed to be treated that way by him.

[lurker]

"Sheri Lewis" is having fun with this.

[Tee]

Originally Posted by lurker

"Sheri Lewis" is having fun with this.

????

[lurker]

The sock puppet site.

[K C Muffin]

Well, our buddies over there can laugh if they want, but doubt they'd be laughing if it were one of them in this situation. This has to suk, Tee. Those new Pacificas are nice rides. My son works at a Chrysler-Jeep dealership and he's tried to get me to buy one for a couple of years. Don't let the insurance company give you the runaround. Keep hounding them. The squeaky wheel gets the grease in this instance. Take pictures. Loads of them. Just in case they wait long enough to think perhaps some of the damage wasn't cause by the dump truck.

A "shop" - and I use the term lightly - up here did some major damage to my VW's engine. And that's a good old car! I was mad, not only that now I had to get it repaired (again), but that they refused to admit they damaged it. Finally we got them to admit it and tell me they'd file a claim with their insurance carrier. After two weeks, I called the carrier. They hadn't filed a claim. Said they'd check on it and call back. That was two weeks ago. I called them again. Oops - they lost the original paperwork (copies of everything) - could I resend it. Now they're not only paying for the damage to my engine, they're going to have to pay for the damage to the hood when the engine caused dents in it (I wasn't going to claim that since the car is so old, but now I'm mad). My thought is....what would the insurance company do if I was in a real pickle and didn't have another car to drive or if I couldn't afford to just take it to another shop to be repaired? I'd have been out of a vehicle for over a month now. Stick it to 'em, Tee - that's the only way to make them understand.

[Made in the USA]

Tee. had a similar instance occur to me in another county. Got a similar run-around. Had my attorney get involved, and it got taken care of rather quickly after that!

[sas88nak]

Just wandering if the County Landfill issued any fines/fees as they clearly have a sign posted at the city limits that all loads must be covered. I've not been out to the landfill but guess they have a sign at the gates that say the same thing.

I'd also consider changing your insurance company. Turning in a claim that was out of your control will NOT raise your rate. Now if you were at fault, multiple accidents, habbitual offender and/or DUI....then yea rates might be raised or you may be totaly dropped.

What most people don't know is that most rate changes are regional not individual. If an area has multiple storms or accidents, compaired to the national average, then rates go up.