June 7, 2010

EAST HARTFORD MAN'S CASE POINTS
TO PROBLEMS WITH REPEAT TRAFFIC OFFENDERS

EAST HARTFORD — The case of a local man who has been ticketed 17 times in the past four years for motor vehicle violations is highlighting problems with the way the state handles repeat traffic offenders.

Residents on Central Avenue have been complaining about Kemar Manboard, 23, who they say drives too fast on their street. About 75 residents last week signed a petition complaining about Manboard, asking the town council to do something. But town officials and police say their hands are tied by state law.

Police say Manboard, who lives on Central Avenue, has a long history of motor vehicle violations. Of the 17 times he has been ticketed in the past four years, at least four have been for reckless driving — a serious offense that can result in a suspended license. But Manboard's license wasn't suspended. Instead, many of those violations were either wiped from his record or never resulted in a conviction. According to a letter addressed to East Hartford officials by the state Department of Motor Vehicles, Manboard has 11 convictions, none for reckless driving. Six of those were moving violations, and of those, three were for traveling unreasonably fast — a lesser offense that's a step down from speeding.

These results have led to frustration on the part of town officials, who say that they are left with few options in dealing with the speeding. And they have prompted the larger question of what governments and states can do about repeat offenders who don't respond to pressure from the police.

"It's something that needs to be looked at," said Rep. Antonio Guerrera, D-Rocky Hill, co-chairman of the legislature's transportation committee. Guerrera said he expects there will be an attempt to change state law during the next legislative session.

State Sen. Gary LeBeau and Rep. Henry Genga are pushing for a legislative solution to the issue. LeBeau said they expected to announce in coming days that hearings would take place in the next legislative session, which begins in January. "I think that people are absolutely totally flabbergasted that a situation like this could exist," said LeBeau, who called the legal gridlock over the issue "ridiculous." "Clearly the policy is not working," he said.

According to police, Manboard is scheduled to have his license revoked on June 23, unless he completes the driver's retraining course. So far, he has completed that course five times.

That record disturbs East Hartford Mayor Melody Currey, who has called for stricter laws governing repeat offenders. There should be some limit on how many moving violations a person can incur, she said.

"It doesn't make sense that you continually have somebody who gets speeding tickets and goes and takes the course and gets their license back," Currey said. "There's no logic to it."

The driving course, which costs $60, consists of four hours of class discussion and instructive videos, followed by a multiple choice test.

If it doesn't work once, Currey said, there's no reason to expect it will work the fifth time. The DMV was not able to provide a list of how many people took the course multiple times, but officials say there's a possibility it has happened before.

"It raises some larger questions," LeBeau said. "On the statewide level, how often is this happening?"

Copyright © 2010, The Hartford Courant