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State Trooper Arrested for Phony Ticket Vendetta
By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 2, 2008
Modified Jul 2, 2008
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By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 2, 2008
Modified Jul 2, 2008
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A former FedEx worker turned state trooper is accused of writing phony speeding tickets to get back at a man he had an argument with over a parking spot. The ticketing revenge allegedly began after office Lester Hooper (pictured), an East Flatbush resident who patrols Westchester, and his wife became outraged at a neighbor, Derrick Perry, for not moving his truck back in January.
Perry, a house painter, tells the Journal News: "I didn't move my truck one time. He just came out like some sort of big shot." Hooper was off-duty during the incident, and is said to have flashed his badge and taken down Perry’s license plate number. A flurry of five tickets ensued over the next months, which Hooper allegedly made up without ever stopping Perry. After an investigation, Hooper was formally charged yesterday with three felonies and three misdemeanors, and is suspended without pay.
His lawyer insists Hooper was motivated by some “pretty offensive” contact Perry had with the trooper's wife, and that his vendetta was an "emotional thing in defense of a family member.” To that, Perry says, “I don't even know his wife. He's just trying to cover up because he messed up. And I'm going to sue his ass. It's not over yet.”
Tagged
arrested
charged
Derrick Perry
Lester Hooper
new york
speeding
state trooper
tickets
traffic
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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