St. Paul police officer allegedly left scene of accident

Pioneer Press ^ | 8-11-14 | Mara H. Gottfried

[TurboZamboni]

A St. Paul police officer drove through a red light, struck another vehicle with his squad car and left the scene of the accident last spring, according to two misdemeanor charges filed against the officer Monday.

Officer Vosinick "Nick" Kellum, 39, was on duty at the time, according to the police department, though the criminal complaint said he hadn't been assigned to respond to any police calls that day and there were no police calls for service in the immediate area of the incident.

Kellum, a St. Paul officer since 1999, "admitted to driving the vehicle and being involved in the incident but denied doing anything wrong," according to the criminal complaint charging him with failing to stop for a property-damage accident and failing to stop for a traffic-control signal. "He also admitted that he drove off but said he didn't hit anyone."

The complaint gives the following account:

[gaijin]

Mexicanization.

[Secret Agent Man]

and the blue wall goes up to protect criminal cops, yet again.

[Drango]

Thin blue line has a stench.

[Antihero101607]

All animals are equal, some animals are more equal than others.

[vbmoneyspender]

If I had to guess, I would say he had been drinking and preferred to get cited for hit and run to get cited for drunk driving.

[TurboZamboni]

Paid leave...don’t throw me in the briar patch.

[zeugma]

A business with surveillance cameras captured what happened. Videos showed the traffic light for eastbound Seventh Street turned red at 11:54 a.m. and 8 seconds later, the squad went through the intersection against the red light. "The victim's vehicle stops abruptly and the other vehicle strikes her vehicle as described by the victim," the complaint said.

Here's the critical information from the article, and the only reason it ever had a chance of seeing the light of day.

[LevinFan]

“A St. Paul police officer drove through a red light, struck another vehicle with his squad car and left the scene of the accident last spring, according to two misdemeanor charges filed against the officer Monday. “

When did hit and run become a mere misdemeanor? At first, I thought this was another one from a short bit back. In that one, including DUI by the officer, the DA tried to plea bargain it down to a couple of minor misdemeanors that wouldn’t even get him out of uniform. Judge told the DA no, he had sufficient evidence and to go do his job.

And yet, I actually have to argue on another thread about the character issues of LE.

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

A business with surveillance cameras captured what happened.

No need to wonder why cops don't like cameras that they don't control.