PARK CITY — For a wheelchair-bound person, crossing busy Belvidere Road is a dangerous proposition.
But Toriano Holmes claims he was doing just that when a Park City police officer gave him a ticket for obstructing traffic. The ticket will cost $120, and the officer allegedly told him to just pay it and not contest it.
“That money would take away from the bills or the rent,” said Holmes, 37, who suffers from multiple sclerosis and lives on a disability check with his mother, who is also disabled, in a Waukegan apartment complex a few blocks off Belvidere. He admits that he sometimes panhandles to make ends meet.
Around 4:10 p.m. Nov. 7, Holmes had gone to a pawn shop on Belvidere near Green Bay Road to make a payment toward redeeming a silver necklace he had pawned. From there he was heading back across the street to Aldi’s and Wendy’s.
“There was a lot of traffic,” he said, but he waved and people stopped. He called out “thank you” as he made it across the four lanes.
That’s when the Park City officer gave him a ticket.
[...]
“We have had other complaints about a wheelchair in the roadway there,” said [Police Chief Walter] Holderbaum. “That’s a very busy street. That’s very dangerous.”
Park City Mayor Steve Parnell agreed. “This is a safety issue for other drivers. He refused to leave the roadway,” he said.
[...]
Holmes admits that he uses the roadway to travel because there are no sidewalks in that area, just tiny dirt pathways made by people walking.
[...]
His mother said that maybe the mayor needs to get in a wheelchair and try to maneuver around the area. “You can’t roll in the dirt,” she said.... “His wheelchair could tip over and he’s a big boy. How is he going to get back up? Police are supposed to serve and protect. If you aren’t going to help him, don’t hurt him. That officer 808 (badge number) is a mean officer.”
[Lake County News-Sun]
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