The Department of Public Safety released details on the arrests of who the agency calls "super speeders" -- motorists caught by photo enforcement cameras on Valley freeways.
Coincidentally, New Times called DPS last night about the issue, and wrote about it this morning.
But get this -- it turns out one of the "super speeders" was only going 89 in a 65 and got arrested in her home. Whoa, that's harsh -- especially when DPS knows she won't be prosecuted. Sounds like the troopers are going to be arresting people who get flashed by the cameras going more than 20 over now -- criminal speed. If that's not a deterrent, we don't know what is.
UPDATE: Turns out the woman really got arrested for going 103, not 89, DPS says on Friday. That makes more sense. The news release below should have contained that info, says the agency. Charlene Lupe Ocampo (below) did get flashed going 89, too -- by another speed camera as she was slowing down. BTW, we changed the headline on this blog post to reflect the new info.
Scroll down for the Thursday news release from DPS:
- For Immediate Release -
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Arizona Department of Public Safety arrests seven "super speeders" with the assistance of photo enforcement
Speeds range from 130 to 89 miles per hour on Metro Phoenix freeways
Seven residents of the Valley have been arrested by Arizona Department of Public Safety Officers for criminal speeding and other charges after being caught by photo enforcement cameras along Valley freeways. These are three of the motorists arrested recently.
Stephen Patrick Reeves of Scottsdale was arrested at his home on March 25, 2009 and booked into the 4th Avenue jail. He was charged with criminal speeding and reckless driving. On November 8, 2008, Reeves was captured by the photo enforcement stationary cameras traveling southbound on State Route 51 near Bethany Home Road. His vehicle was traveling at a speed of 130 miles per hour in a 55 mile per hour zone. Charges are pending in the Maricopa County Justice Court.
Dameon Habinger, 18, was arrested at his home on March 6, 2009 and booked into the 4th Avenue jail. He was charged with criminal speeding and reckless driving. On January 21, 2009, at about 7:38 p.m., Habinger was captured by the photo enforcement stationary cameras traveling eastbound on State Route 101 at milepost 17 (75th Avenue). His 1997 Ford Crown Victoria was traveling at a speed of 113 miles per hour in the posted 65 mile per hour zone. Charges are pending in the Maricopa County Justice Court.
Charlene Lupe Ocampo was arrested at her home on March 5, 2009 and booked into the 4th Avenue jail. She was charged with criminal speeding and reckless driving. On February 22, 2009 at about 2:45 a.m., Ocampo was captured by the photo enforcement stationary cameras southbound on State Route 101 at milepost 9 (Olive Avenue). She was driving a 2005 Ford Freestar at a speed of 89 miles per hour in the posted 65 mile per hour zone. Charges are pending in Maricopa County Justice Court
DPS also released a photo of a fourth person who was arrested for an alleged speed camera violation, Ian Jason Garrett (below), who was said to be traveling 103 in a 65. The sign on Garrett's passenger-side door is for a driving school.