Boxing champion Terence “Bud” Crawford was found guilty of careless driving during a bench trial Monday stemming from a September traffic stop that garnered widespread attention after Crawford was ordered out of the vehicle at gunpoint.
Crawford was celebrating his 38th birthday and recent victory against Canelo Alvarez with a massive parade and party in downtown Omaha on Sept. 27. He was pulled over at about 1:30 a.m. on Sept. 28 while driving near North 12th Street and Capitol Avenue after officers said they observed him speeding and driving recklessly.
Crawford was initially cited for reckless driving, a more serious misdemeanor offense, but prosecutors reduced the charge to careless driving, an infraction. He opted to take the case to trial, which took place in front of Douglas County Judge Craig McDermott on Monday morning.
Omaha Police officer Mason Gregurich was the sole witness at Monday’s trial. Gregurich said he was patrolling the Capitol District early that morning when a vehicle “blew past” his parked cruiser. Gregurich said the car was also “centered over the line.” He estimated the vehicle was traveling about 50 mph. The speed limit in the area is 25 mph.
No radar or other measurement of speed was taken. Crawford was pulled over along 12th Street about a block north of where he was first spotted.
Gregurich’s body camera video was shown in court after arguments from Crawford’s defense attorney Joe Naatz and City Prosecutor Mike Florence. Florence said the events of the traffic stop were irrelevant to whether or not Crawford was driving carelessly, but McDermott decided to allow some testimony and evidence about the traffic stop and decide later what weight to afford the evidence as it relates to the charge.
As Gregurich walked up to the car, according to the video, Crawford said: “My bad, officer, this motherf—-r fast.” Gregurich asked for Crawford’s license and registration. Then, Gregurich testified, he noticed “an unsecured firearm on the floorboards” and ordered Crawford out of the vehicle at gunpoint. Crawford was placed in handcuffs as Gregurich called for backup.
The gun on the floorboard belonged to Crawford’s security guard and was possessed legally.
The video from Gregurich’s body camera showed the interaction escalating within seconds. About six seconds after asking Crawford to hand over his license and registration, Gregurich drew his firearm and told Crawford: “Actually, step out of the car.”
“I got the seatbelt on,” Crawford said as he raised his hands and Gregurich repeatedly told him to step out of the car. “You pointing a gun at me.”
“Undo your seatbelt and step out,” Gregurich said. “Don’t reach for that gun.”
During closing arguments, Naatz conceded that Crawford was speeding. But he argued that speeding alone does not constitute careless driving under the statute, which requires “proof of endangerment” to people or property. Careless driving is defined in statute as operating a vehicle “carelessly or without due caution as to endanger a person or property.”
Florence said there was “ample evidence” that property was at risk, and that pedestrians crossing the street could have been endangered by Crawford’s fast driving.
“This is a highly populated area where those things were at risk,” he said.
McDermott took a brief recess to review the evidence before finding Crawford guilty of careless driving. Crawford was fined $75.