Officer's vision enough to issue speeding ticket
6/4/2010COLUMBUS - The trained eye of a police officer is sufficient to support a speeding ticket conviction, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled this week in the case of an Akron-area motorist.
In a 5-1 ruling, the court upheld the speeding ticket conviction of Mark Jenney based solely on the visual observation of a Copley Township officer.
Writing for the majority, Justice Maureen O'Connor found that the "unaided visual estimation of a vehicle's speed, when supported by evidence that the officer is trained" is enough evidence to establish guilt.
As for an officer's radar gun, the court found the device is "not necessary to support a conviction."
The speeding ticket was issued in July, 2008, when Mr. Jenney was driving on State Rt. 21.