Posted on 07/01/2005 3:57:50 PM PDT by WoofDog123
Ross Perot fined for speeding in his boat
By Coggie Gibbons (News from 2005-07-01 Edition)
American billionaire and sometime Bermuda resident Ross Perot was fined in Magistrates’ Court this week for two marine offences. Former U.S. presidential candidate Mr. Perot, 75, of Tucker’s Town, pleaded guilty to operating a power craft without reasonable consideration on July 24 last year in western waters and speeding in a restricted area where the limit was five knots. Inspector Philip Taylor, prosecuting, told the court that a member of the public in a boat in waters off Watford Island, Somerset saw Mr. Perot’s 38-foot boat, ‘Rough Rider’ bearing down at about 30 knots (56 kph) within 100 metres of the shoreline. The boat was planing, Insp. Taylor told magistrate, the Wor. Kamisi Tokunbo and creating a large wake, rocking the complainant’s boat. Later that afternoon, the complainant saw Mr. Perot’s boat returning through the area at a high speed before slowing down. By then ‘Rough Rider’ had formed another large wake, rocking the complainant’s and other boats in the area. Marine police later located Mr. Perot aboard another of his boats in Castle Harbour. He reportedly admitted speeding and said: “I understand” when they charged him. Insp. Taylor said Mr. Perot has no convictions “in this jurisdiction”. In court, dressed in green jacket and a white golf shirt, unrepresented Mr. Perot stood erect and expressionless as he addressed Mr. Tokunbo in his firm Texan drawl: “I apologise for the inconvenience I’ve caused the court in taking your time and to the marine police for taking their time.” Mr. Tokunbo fined the U.S. Naval Academy graduate $200 on the first count and $100 on the second. Escorted by a police officer in plain clothes, Mr. Perot wasted no time in striding purposefully from the courthouse and getting into the passenger’s seat of a white private car parked in the driveway of the Supreme Court grounds behind Magistrates’ Court, his chauffeur waiting for him. As the car drove onto Parliament Street, Mr. Perot turned his head away from a press camera as the officer tried to block the reporter’s shot of him.
How would Bill Clinton have handled this differently?
Former U.S. presidential candidate Mr. Perot, 75, of Tucker’s Town, pleaded guilty to operating a power craft without reasonable consideration on July 24 last year in western waters and speeding in a restricted area where the limit was five knots.
Inspector Philip Taylor, prosecuting, told the court that a member of the public in a boat in waters off Watford Island, Somerset saw Mr. Perot’s 38-foot boat, ‘Rough Rider’ bearing down at about 30 knots (56 kph) within 100 metres of the shoreline.
The boat was planing, Insp. Taylor told magistrate, the Wor. Kamisi Tokunbo and creating a large wake, rocking the complainant’s boat.
Later that afternoon, the complainant saw Mr. Perot’s boat returning through the area at a high speed before slowing down.
By then ‘Rough Rider’ had formed another large wake, rocking the complainant’s and other boats in the area. Marine police later located Mr. Perot aboard another of his boats in Castle Harbour. He reportedly admitted speeding and said: “I understand” when they charged him.
Insp. Taylor said Mr. Perot has no convictions “in this jurisdiction”.
In court, dressed in green jacket and a white golf shirt, unrepresented Mr. Perot stood erect and expressionless as he addressed Mr. Tokunbo in his firm Texan drawl: “I apologise for the inconvenience I’ve caused the court in taking your time and to the marine police for taking their time.” Mr. Tokunbo fined the U.S. Naval Academy graduate $200 on the first count and $100 on the second.
Escorted by a police officer in plain clothes, Mr. Perot wasted no time in striding purposefully from the courthouse and getting into the passenger’s seat of a white private car parked in the driveway of the Supreme Court grounds behind Magistrates’ Court, his chauffeur waiting for him.
As the car drove onto Parliament Street, Mr. Perot turned his head away from a press camera as the officer tried to block the reporter’s shot of him.
The speed was 5knots, and Ross Perot's ears were doing at least 60 !
Was there a "giant sucking sound" as he sped by?
Did they pop the hatches and get their hands dirty, and did they find the crazy aunt in the bilges?
Yawn... why doesn't it make the news when I get in trouble? I, mean, "Explodingspleen steals braws from girls' dorm and leads campus police on highspeed chase through duckpond and golf course" sounds a lot more intresting than "Ross Perot fined for speeding in his boat," wouldn't you agree?
I'm going to make the papers one of these days, by jove.
I was a Perotista once.
I still like Ross.
He's fun, and he has a Voodoo Stick.
Where life is beautiful all the time...
clinton would have sent his private investigators in to destroy the reputation of the witnesses and officer. But not before CBSNBCABCCNN did requisite stories on the history of Burmuda court corruption and known unreliability of eye-witness testimony.
It was good that Perot showed up in court . That said $300.00 is chump change for Perot.
He was stopped by the local constabulary in our city a few years ago; the cop couldn't believe it was H Ross himself. Ross got 'pinched' in a 'STEP' program LASER speed trap on a major freeway that day ...
hard to find detailed news on him but he apparently does a lot for military people, people active duty with severe injuries, etc.
I am not aware of any of the other higher profile older billionaires (buffet, soros, gates) doing this sort of thing with a peronal interest, though foundations owned by them may do so.
I would not pee on him if he was on fire.
50 knots within 100m of shore,....go figure.
Most sailors I've known who own their own sailboat of similar value, tend to label powerboat enthusiasts as little boys unable to really handle themselves at sea and their powerboats were merely phallic symbols.
Those powerboaters I've met, who might not be so childish, tend to display their manhood by their ability to handle their boats at very low speeds that close to shore.
There is something about Perot slamming his powerboat in Bermuda that is remarkably consistent with the stereotype used by real sailors.
And to think he began his years as an officer in the Navy.
It took a year?
that is odd, i have no explanation.
Perot always has been good to our troops.
He tried hard to find out what happened to some of our missing POWs in Vietnam, and he got Chesty Puller out of retirement to help rescue some of his EDS people who had been taken hostage in the Middle East.
Perot himself barely got out on that snatch. He went personally.
He did support W
Yes, he did.
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