In these days of open hand it's difficult to stay straight especially when presented with a situation where making a quick buck is as easy as turning a blind eye.
That's the spot that Placencia policeman Matthew Lopez found himself in on Tuesday. But Lopez resisted a bribe and then turned in the man making the offer. At around 2 on Tuesday afternoon, Lopez intercepted a Ford Ranger that was traveling through Placencia. The vehicle was being driven at the time by 41-year-old resident of Seine Bight village Pablo Perez.
Inspecting the vehicle, Lopez noted that it was not insured and licensed. When he pointed this out, the driver offered him $200. That gesture of trying to grease the wheels of law enforcement was as difficult as mixing grease and water and Lopez promptly refused the offer and arrested Perez, on charges of driving an unlicensed motor vehicle and driving a motor vehicle without third party insurance. He was further charged with bribery.
In court Perez was found guilty and charged $500 for the traffic offences, $200 for bribery and was disqualified from driving a vehicle for a year.