Posted by 135 Fan on January 11, 2011 at 00:31:13 from (68.149.56.30):
EDMONTON — A longtime chiropractor thought he was doing a good deed over the weekend, clearing sidewalk snow for area seniors with his ATV.
Then St. Albert RCMP showed up.
Dr. Jon Cooper, 62, runs the St. Albert Chiropractic & Massage Wellness Centre in St. Albert, just north of Edmonton, with his son, Dan Cooper.
Jon Cooper says he was clearing up the snow along the sidewalk when he became stuck in a massive snowbank around 1 p.m. Saturday.
His 35-year-old son drove a truck on the road and the pair used the vehicle in an effort to pull the snow-lodged machine.
The ATV is the same machine he uses every year to help seniors living in the nearby seniors' complex get to the local drug and grocery store.
"My son put the truck's four-way flashers on and he got out and directed traffic so no one would hit us," said Jon Cooper.
"We were just about ready to pull out the quad when the police showed up.
"I thought they would give us a hand because there was so much snow, but it just turned out to be a nightmare."
That's when the Good Samaritan was slapped with a $250 ticket after being charged with riding a quad on a public sidewalk -- a St. Albert bylaw violation, says St. Albert RCMP.
The amount of cash he paid for the ticket is on top of the $350 he paid to get his machine out of a police impound lot.
His son, who is considering hiring a lawyer over the case, was also arrested and is facing criminal charges, including resisting arrest.
"We told them what we were doing and they refused to listen to us," said Dan, 35, who also practices in his father's trade.
"I was telling an officer what we were doing and the next thing you know, he puts me on the ground and places me under arrest. I wasn't being aggressive or abusive."
Cpl. Laurel Kading, a spokeswoman with the St. Albert RCMP, says criminal charges are pending in relation to the case.
Kading says two officers had to act because Cooper's truck had a "near collision" with two other vehicles on the road.
"Our members weren't out looking for the ATV that day," said Kading.
"In this situation, it was the hazardous vehicle that started all of this."
Kading says Mounties still encourage people to help their neighbours by using shovels and snowblowers to clean sidewalks -- machines that are considered legal.
However, St. Albert RCMP Detachment is located a block away from Jon Cooper's practice on Bellerose Drive and chiropractor says his ATV snowplow has never been a problem with police until now.
"I will never go out there and do those sidewalks again, not after this," he said.
"We were just trying to do a nice thing for people."
No wonder a lot of people aren't real fond of the police. This is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen. Maybe the city should be charged with not keeping the sidewalks cleared instead? They have bylaws for that but I guess it only applies to home owners and not city maintained sidewalks! I hope the chiropractor and his son fight it. Dave
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