ABC Agents Arrest Student for Buying Water

[madviking]

Link

...

A group of state Alcoholic Beverage Control agents clad in plainclothes approached her, suspecting the blue carton of LaCroix sparkling water to be a 12-pack of beer. Police say one of the agents jumped on the hood of her car. She says one drew a gun. Unsure of who they were, Daly tried to flee the darkened parking lot.

"They were showing unidentifiable badges after they approached us, but we became frightened, as they were not in anything close to a uniform," she recalled Thursday in a written account of the April 11 incident.

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Prosecutors say she apologized profusely when she realized who the agents were. But that wasn't good enough for ABC agents, who charged her with three felonies. Prosecutors withdrew those charges Thursday in Charlottesville General District Court, but Daly still can't understand why she sat in jail.

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A bit of background on the situation. Recently, UVA was in the news for being ranked "#1 party school" by Playboy Magazine (which is a crock of tihs anyway, but that's a story for another day). Henceforth, the Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control (VAABC) has assigned the Charlottesville, Virginia area a "special coordinator" to enforce alcohol laws, because, apparently, UVA students don't obey alcohol laws. Oh no.

As a UVA student, this is appalling. Virginia is making this big push for plainclothes police officers (and ABC agents, apparently) and undercover cop cars. I can't imagine what would happen if the student in question had a concealed carry license and shot an agent or all of those idiots. The plainclothes officers are no different looking than a bunch of thugs so I would have no problem if someone blew their heads off.

There are just so many things wrong with this situation. The plainclothes officers, the assumption she was underage, the assumption she had alcohol, the paranoia, etc.

 

[bombshoo]

This is why we should just lower the drinking age to 14.

 

[Antilogic]

This kinda sounds like a mugging, except the victim also did jail time.

 

[timtofly]

This is why some people miss Walton's Mountain.

 

[Quackers]

Alcoholic Beverage Control agents

This can't be a thing, please...

 

[AlpsStranger]

Left? Right? The important thing is that an tight web of laws and regulations choke the life out of everyone and everything.

Because chilling the hell out would just be crazy talk.

 

[shadowplay]

Police say one of the agents jumped on the hood of her car.

They jumped on the hood of the car? What are these guys on?

 

[kramerfan86]

There must be a mistake, only federal agents cause trouble. If we just left things up to the states this nonsense wouldn't happen.

More seriously though plain clothes officers that aren't directly doing undercover work just seem like a terrible idea, why would anyone believe they are cops because they quickly flash a piece of metal?

 

[Antilogic]

They jumped on the hood of the car? What are these guys on?

They must have had a death wish. That's just stupid.

There must be a mistake, only federal agents cause trouble. If we just left things up to the states this nonsense wouldn't happen.

More seriously though plain clothes officers that aren't directly doing undercover work just seem like a terrible idea, why would anyone believe they are cops because they quickly flash a piece of metal?

I think the second paragraph is particularly important. If a bunch of people in street clothes suddenly jumped at a person, some with guns, then I don't think the average person is going to process whether the piece of metal temporarily flashed is a badge.

 

[AlpsStranger]

That's what I don't get, either. So does that mean if I buy a badge and just flash it real quick people are required to just stand there while I mug them? Sounds like a plan

 

[Darkflight]

That's what I don't get, either. So does that mean if I buy a badge and just flash it real quick people are required to just stand there while I mug them? Sounds like a plan

Indeed. If you have been given the authority to stop people on the street like that a uniform is the least that should be expected. If they continue like that it won't be long until someone gets killed.

 

[bombshoo]

I think the second paragraph is particularly important. If a bunch of people in street clothes suddenly jumped at a person, some with guns, then I don't think the average person is going to process whether the piece of metal temporarily flashed is a badge.

Also, pretending to be a cop is a pretty common con to get potential victims where you want them.

 

[kramerfan86]

I think the second paragraph is particularly important. If a bunch of people in street clothes suddenly jumped at a person, some with guns, then I don't think the average person is going to process whether the piece of metal temporarily flashed is a badge.

Exactly, you see a guy pull a gun on you and demand something your first instinct isnt going to be "oh well I better do what the kind officer demands". Someone is going to get seriously hurt if the game plan is to increase this sort of policework.

 

[Goodfella]

This can't be a thing, please...

It is in Virginia and 17 other states. In VA all liquor stores are ran by the state.

 

[JollyRoger]

Yes, Virginia, there is a Fanta clause

 

[classical_hero]

I have heard of the ATF but not of ABC agents. At first I thought they were agents of the ABC network. I assume that they are local police dealing jut with, I think, alcoholic beverages.

 

[madviking]

They jumped on the hood of the car? What are these guys on?

Link to video.

They must have had a death wish. That's just stupid.

Well, they are stupid. ABC agents are police academy rejects. They aren't even police officers.

I think the second paragraph is particularly important. If a bunch of people in street clothes suddenly jumped at a person, some with guns, then I don't think the average person is going to process whether the piece of metal temporarily flashed is a badge.

It's seems like the policy of plainclothes officers is going to continue until someone gets shot and/or killed. That's the horrendous part of this trend.

 

[innonimatu]

This can't be a thing, please...

I genuinely thought the OP was a joke. Then I realized that it actually happened. Now I'm afraid that only one ocean separates us from the realm of madness!

 

[Wrymouth3]

Should've been drinking Strawberry Nesquik instead.

 

[madviking]

I genuinely thought the OP was a joke. Then I realized that it actually happened. Now I'm afraid that only one ocean separates us from the realm of madness!

Not the Onion, eh?