This may qualify as one of those ‘Justice Files of Shame‘ stories. Today, according to witnesses Coquille PD officers Bryant and Sanborn stopped an elderly disabled couple traveling from Myrtle Point to Coquille at the Safeway parking lot. The driver Shane Scott had been reaching for a cell phone and the officers determined that he had not slowed down to 45mph quickly enough.Coquille PD leave one legged man on the street

What ensues is that the couple, both disabled and living on a fixed income had apparently allowed their insurance to lapse in January. The police dutifully towed their 1966 Mazda and left them sitting on the street corner with a few belongings.

Also responsible for providing for their granddaughter the couple will blow any money they might have used on insurance, housing and heaven forbid, food on towing and impound fees. Again, this is a legislative issue and we cannot expect the police department to exercise any judgment or concern themselves with whether or not the community really benefited from punishing people for being poor.

Once, the police department was a place to go if you needed help. Now if you are down and out you better hide or they will want your ID or charge you with vagrancy or tow your car and leave you on a street corner.

My daughter has skated with their granddaughter at the community center. No doubt, she will not be able to afford to skating any time soon, much less have a ride there. Scott, who lost a leg in a motorcycle accident and requires crutches to get around just sort of shook his head, “We just can’t get ahead here”.