Motorist Pleads Guilty To Disorderly Conduct After Offering Lift To Teen Girls

March 19, 2012 3:03 PM

Rodney Peterson says he shouldn’t have been charged for offering a ride to two teen girls during a snowstorm. (CBS)

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BARRINGTON, Ill. (CBS) – The adult motorist who got in trouble for offering a lift to two teen girls earlier this month – an incident he claims was a “good deed gone wrong” — has pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, authorities said Monday.

Rodney T. Peterson of Arlington Heights was sentenced to two years’ supervision, ordered to pay a $400 fine and prohibited from contacting the two girls or their families, Barrington police said in a news release.

Police say Peterson followed the girls, who are both 13, on March 2 after he saw them at a Barrington gas station and asked them how far they had to walk and if they wanted a ride. The pair waved him on and took down his license plate number.

Peterson told CBS 2 last week he was trying to help the two girls because conditions were snowy and they were not dressed for the winter weather.

“This is a good deed gone wrong,” Peterson said. “I just noticed these girls, that they had no umbrella, no coats or hood or something of that nature, and I just felt like I should help.”

Police dispute his account, saying it wasn’t snowing and the girls were “dressed properly” and wearing coats. Police told CBS 2 the girls felt threatened by the encounter.

“The most important message here is that the students acted properly and smartly. They turned down

the ride offer and copied down the license plate information of the stranger offering them a ride,” the Barrington news release said.

Police say adults should not offer rides to juveniles they do not know. If they feel a young person is in distress or danger, they should call police.

Motorist Pleads Guilty To Disorderly Conduct After Offering Lift To Teen Girls

Just Axin

Maybe the police didn’t jump the gun. Here’s a little more info:

statements to police and the press, there was no snowstorm yet nor was it snowing at the time of the
incident. Further, investigation leading up to the charges showed that the students were dressed
properly for the weather in coats and one wearing boots. That evidence came from area business
security camera video and squad car camera video of unrelated police traffic stops at the time the
incident first occurred.
After first spotting the students at a gas station Mr. Peterson lost sight of them. A couple minutes later
after paying for his gas, he drove down the alley into the neighborhood to look for them. They were not
in any distress or in need of any assistance whatsoever. It wasn’t dark out and they were in a residential
neighborhood. Mr. Peterson tried to engage the students, asking them how far they had to walk home
and if they needed a ride. The students said they did not have far to walk and waived him on.

German Leprechaun

Well, well, well. If this is accurate, then they DO have another li’l suburban pedophile on their hands.

Mike

Do you even know what a pedophile is? Apparently not.
James of Ascot Vale

He’s not a pedophile, as they were not pre-pubescent (like 10)… and I’m banking he was hoping they were 16 or older (or whatever legal age is in Illinois)… his reasoning being if they were of age he had a chance of some sex (the girls may even suggest it) but if they were underage simply drive them home. And no – it is difficult to tell most of the time.

He wasn’t counting on them knocking him back – and certainly not reporting him, though he’d have been worried after driving off. He can’t admit any of this as he is married.

Money Talks, Laws Walk

And where pray tell did these alleged facts come from? Mommy Investigative Services – Basement Unit?
I have not seen any docimentation to that even comes close to support your alleged facts.

Emmy

I’d say surveillance video is pretty good evidence of what the weather was at the time and what the girls were wearing. But, hard to say what to believe a video or the word of guy carrying a Bible? I mean we all know that people who carry Bibles into court never lie or commit crimes.
Just axin

Money- hey, drama queen, the info came from a press release from Barrington police
Dean Farrel

@Emmy, I think the main fact here isn’t the bible, it’s the fact that he didn’t break any laws!

Samuel Davis

I don’t care what the weather was like. I don’t care what the girls were wearing. There is no evidence whatsoever to conclude that Peterson followed or was looking for the girls. The only relevant issue in this whole story is, it is not disorderly conduct to offer someone a ride, period! He should have fought this tooth and nail. He would have won. After that, the defamation of character issue would have needed to be addressed. I don’t know who this guy’s attorney was, but he certainly didn’t advise his client correctly!

G

Sam….HE LIED. The girls were dressed properly, there’s video proof of that from the gas station. There was NO snowstorm http://barrington-il.patch.com/articles/photo-gallery-march-snow-storm#photo-9240857
And he followed them down an alley.
Samuel Davis

@G, So that justifies charging him with disorderly conduct? Of course it doesn’t. If he had said something offensive or hadn’t driven away immediately, then maybe.
Corey G

Whether or not YOU think he should have been charges is irrelevent. He was charged, and he PLED GUILTY!!!!!!! Innocent people do not plead guilty.
Samuel Davis

@Corey, Innocent people plead guilty all the time It avoids a trial which is expensive, inconvenient, and time consuming. I do believe his attorney should have suggested fighting the charge. They could have recouped their money in a lawsuit for defamation of character.
Emmy

Totally agree that maybe this wasn’t disorderly conduct. Surprised they didn’t charge him with making false statements to police or perjury.
Samuel Davis

@Emmy, It’s only purjury if you’re under oath.

Shane

This is what it’s like being a man in feminist america: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5OdQGbVNa4

Disgusted with CBS

What the hell happened to Milton’s comment? What the hell is going on over there at CBS????????

James of Ascot Vale

I agree… whatever your comment, as long as it does not defame anyone then it should be left up.

Not sure who I am quoting, but: “I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

Once we go down this path of deleting comments which others may not like, we hitch our wagon to the Soviet / North Korean way of obedience at all times.

G

HAHAHAHA I knew it.

Samuel Davis

What exactly did you know? Please enlighten us.

BR

The police had video the girls were dressed properly, and there was no snow. Rodney had to go down an alley, and look for the girls several blocks down, in a residential area, towards a elementary school that was about to let out.
He was not going in the direction of the Post Office he claimed he was on the way to.
The police were not going to do anything until they interviewed him, and his story did not add up. You all judge without knowing the facts. It is amazing.

German Leprechaun

I posted the very first comment after the story appeared:

I don’t know what to make of this. Did he say/do something when he stopped to “offer them a ride” that we’re not being told about? Did the girls find him creepy-looking (which he is — slightly, but not extremely)? Odd story.
March 17, 2012 at 12:26 am

What was the FIRST thing I said? “I don’t know what to make of this.” It is amazing how 380 more comments were posted, with all the requisite insults, innuendo and mudslinging people could dredge up on each other — all without knowing what the hell happened!! More people should’ve been skeptical instead of automatically claiming to understand what actually happened.

G

And automatically put this guy on a pedestal and dismiss the girls concerns/fear as nonsense and a waste of time.
German Leprechaun

The freakin’ reporter, Mai Martinez, helped that along, didn’t she!!! She deserves a sound butt-kickin for her SENNNN-sitive and sympathetic interview of the creep. I couldn’t give a rat’s a$$ that he’s gotta wife of 12 years and another kid on the way!!

Samuel Davis

@BR, All irrelevant! Offering someone a ride is not disorderly conduct! What do you think? Was he trying to score some sex? Do you think he was looking to abduct them? All nonsense. Didn’t any of you watch the original interview?

G

HE LIED. The girls were dressed properly, there’s video proof of that from the gas station. There was NO snowstorm http://barrington-il.patch.com/articles/photo-gallery-march-snow-storm#photo-9240857
And he followed them down an alley.
Samuel Davis

G, So you consider that disorderly conduct? You can offer a ride to anyone you want to. It is not a crime.
former barringtonion

Try looking up a map of the area, he was supposed to be on his way to the post office? That is in the opposite direction that he went. He went looking for these girls, not having any idea if they could possibly already been home. And the roads he took are definately ‘off the beaten’ path as they say. How does someone from Arlington Heights even know about them? I would have to wonder if he had already been ‘trolling’ the neighborhood.

Babs

On the first article relating to this story (and the comments that followed it) my comment was-consider that we don’t know the whole story and that teaching children about stranger danger is critical to their safety. Based upon this new information I think we have the whole story now. Lesson learned-don’t take a position until you have all the information.

I hope Channel 2 learns a lesson from this-do a little investigating before you report a story. And leave the children out of the video.

Rodney T. Peterson of Arlington Heights pled guilty today to Disorderly Conduct for his alarming of two thirteen‐year old students by offering them a ride home. Mr. Peterson was arrested by Barrington
Police for the incident which occurred March 2, 2012.  He was sentenced two
years supervision, a $400 fine and prohibited from having contact with the two students or their families. Mr. Peterson was represented by an attorney in the Cook County courthouse in Rolling
Meadows, IL.  Police provided evidence to the Village Prosecutor that, contrary to news reports and Mr. Peterson’s statements to police and the press, there was no snowstorm yet nor was it snowing at the time of the incident. Further, investigation leading up to the charges showed that the students were dressed properly for the weather in coats and one wearing boots. That evidence came from area business security camera video and squad car camera video of unrelated police traffic stops at the time the incident first occurred.   After first spotting the students at a gas station Mr. Peterson lost sight of them. A couple minutes later after paying for his gas, he drove down the alley into the neighborhood to look for them.  They were not in any distress or in need of any assistance whatsoever.  It wasn’t dark out and they were in a residential neighborhood. Mr. Peterson tried to engage the students, asking them how far they had to walk home and if they needed a ride.  The students said they did not have far to walk and waived him on. The most important message here is that the students acted properly and smartly. They turned down the ride offer and copied down the license plate information of the stranger offering them a ride.   Students should not accept a ride from strangers. While the public’s reasonable concern for children’s safety is appropriate, it needs to be offered in a way that will not confuse the safety message to children.

Adults should not offer rides to children, especially those they don’t know. If they see someone in obvious distress, call police or fire officials to assist.

There are a few simple rules:
Don’t get into a conversation with strangers who try to talk to you on the way home.

If the stranger continues trying to talk to you or stops the vehicle, run home or run to the nearest public place and immediately tell an adult what has happened.

NEVER walk up to a car of a stranger and NEVER walk off with a stranger.

Try to walk with a friend or group of fellow students, whether it is home, to/from school or the bus stop.

If you have a cell phone, call 911 immediately.

Try to remember as much as you can about the stranger and vehicle.
As parents and community members there are a few things we can do to help:

Discuss the simple rules with your children.

Take notice of children walking home.  If you see anyone approach the child get a good description of the person and any vehicle or license plate.  Ask the person in the vehicle if you can help them instead.

Don’t confuse the safety message for children.  Stopping a neighborhood child and offering them a ride home may make it difficult for them in the future to follow simple rules on who is a stranger and who isn’t.
G

DING DING DING! I win! I called it all along.

I love it. I’m “everything wrong with the world”, a “moron”, an “idiot” and whatever else I was called because I said it was wrong for a 30-something year old man to offer a ride to two 13 year old girls and scare them enough to take his plate # down….But whats worse here is the fact that everyone was SO quick to dismiss the girls feelings and actions because “Mr. Peterson was ONLY doing a good deed because he is a God loving family man”

I hope those of you, and you know who you are, think twice before dismissing someones fears as nonsense.

Oh and welcome to the real world.

G

Oh, let me add…Here are pics I found of the “SNOWPOCOLYPSE” that day.

http://barrington-il.patch.com/articles/photo-gallery-march-snow-storm#photo-9240857

lmnop

The area got a thick coat of slushy white snow on March 2, just days after the temperature topped out in the mid 50-degree range.

That’s a direct quote from the link that you posted. In some parts of this country it’s the law that you have to offer a ride to someone that is walking when it’s snowing.

I wasn’t there when it happened, I have no idea what the guys intentions were. I do suspect the girls over reacted, and since you weren’t there when it happened I suspect that you are over reacting too.
G

lmnop – Did you miss the part where he lied?

#070407

@ G
You do realize that you have considered yourself a “winner” in a “contest” that involved two teenage girls who called police? I will have to decline your invitation to the “real world” that has victory celebrations that claim victory instead of offereing any semblance of empathy to those involved.

G

Yeah yeah. And I’m also “everything wrong with the world”. Whats your point?

Gordon

No one here is qualified to pass judgement on this case, based on what they’ve heard from the media. His guilty plea may have been motivated by nothing more than expediency. Your comments reveal a thoroughly repellent personality! Are you a trolling child, or have you been diagnosed with a DSM recognised antisocial personality disorder?

G

And nobody was qualified to pass judgement on me in the original news story, but that didn’t stop anybody.
Here ya go Gordon…he Lied.
“Police provided evidence to the Village Prosecutor that, contrary to news reports and Mr. Peterson’s statements to police and the press, there was no snowstorm yet nor was it snowing at the time of the incident. Further, investigation leading up to the charges showed that the students were dressed properly for the weather in coats and one wearing boots. That evidence came from area business security camera video and squad car camera video of unrelated police traffic stops at the time the incident first occurred. After first spotting the students at a gas station Mr. Peterson lost sight of them. A couple minutes later after paying for his gas, he drove down the alley into the neighborhood to look for them. They were not in any distress or in need of any assistance whatsoever. It wasn’t dark out and they were in a residential neighborhood. Mr. Peterson tried to engage the students, asking them how far they had to walk home and if they needed a ride.”

SUCKER FREE

i rest my case if he did nothing wrong why plead guilty
y’all are all morons for defending this guy
like i said before you do not offer ride to minors you do not know

G

Thank you.

But I want to hang on to the title of “everything wrong with the world”. LOLOLOL!!!
Gordon

People frequently plead guilty for crimes they did not commit. If they don’t trust the legal system, they will plead guilty for a lesser penalty. His fine is about half what it would have been had he plead not guilty, and been convicted. He also saves himself the embarrassment of a drawn-out trial!
I wouldn’t offer a lift to either a child or a woman. But that is because I am aware of the risk of false accusation. Some people are more naive!

G

Jeez Gordon, don’t you real the whole story before you go shouting “foul”?

He blatantly lied Gordon.

There is video evidence from the gas station that the girls were properly dressed, also there was NO snowstorm that day AND he followed them down an alley. See this link to pics of the “dreaded snowstorm”
http://barrington-il.patch.com/articles/photo-gallery-march-snow-storm#photo-9240857
Corey G

Anyone who pleads guilty to a crime they did not commit is a complete and utter moron. It is an absolutely stupid thing to do. There is no valid excuse for it.

lmnop

Because court appointed attorneys will tell you in a heart beat that pleading guilty is the easiest “fix”, and for some reason unknown to me people will trust the judgment of these court appointed buffoons instead of standing their ground.

G

He lied.

franz

Can someone tell me where there are alleys in Barrington?
Got caught

@Franz there are several, but the one that is referred to for this story runs behind the businesses on the North side of Northwest Highway between Rte 59 and Bryant.
GUILTY

Turns out there was NO snowstorm (wasn’t even snowing!!).

Turns out the girls were dressed in winter coats (one with a hood), long pants boots and shoes!!

After leaving the gas station the good christian drove down an alley in the OPPOSITE direction of where he lives looking for these two litttle girls and found them two blocks away in a residential neighborhood where he confronted them.

The police were able to prove this by providing videotape from the gas station showing what the girls were wearing and the weather conditions.

So if it wasn’t snowing and the girls were dressed properly and the chrisitian lied about that, then that means the girls were not in any kind of distress, So what were his real intentions???

God bless the Barrington Police for protecting us from this predator!!! Looks like G was right afterall and just about everybody else was too quick to judge without knowing the facts……….shame on all of you and especially Mai Martinez of CBS for that irresponsible report!!!

I just hope no child becomes confused by this story and thinks maybe it is ok to get into a car with a stranger!!!
spd2230

If you plead guilty, you are guilty. An innocent man would fight a bogus charge.

Corey G

Exactly correct.

bobsutan

Helping women is punishable by a $400 fine and 2 years of supervision. Let this be a message to men everywhere.

lbr

Lets blame it on the Police and the Judical System.
They were 13 by the way.
And, yes, if you stalk anyone, and offer them a ride, there sould be a punishment. ANYONE.
G

.HE LIED. The girls were dressed properly, there’s video proof of that from the gas station. There was NO snowstorm http://barrington-il.patch.com/articles/photo-gallery-march-snow-storm#photo-9240857
And he followed them down an alley.
Greg Magoo

This guy didn’t break any law whatsoever. As a connoiseur of teenage girls, I also would have offered my assistance! It’s all about staying within the law and not crossing the line! If he had fought this, he would have definately won!

Centurion

This is why The Centurion will leave you bleeding on the sidewalk. YOU won’t have the chance to charge me with any crimes. I also avoid being in Barrington. This is Barrington PD best arrest for the year. They have nothing better to do.

BR

oh for goodness sake. Once again. The Judge found him guilty, by the pictures and by what HE admitted to. He did not have to plead it out.
Blame EVERYONE but the one charged.
What is with people?
did you read the above news release?

There are alleys.
HE was looking for them.
there was not a snow storm, or snow.
they had jackets.
he was headed TOWARDS A GRADE SCHOOL ABOUT TO GET OUT.
NOT in the direction of the Post Office.

He said he was guilty because he was.

Dean Farrel

That’s a pretty neat senario you’ve assembled. There are alleys, yes, true. He was looking for them, that’s a fairy tale generated from your imagination. There was not a snow storm, true, but completely irrelevant. They had jackets, maybe, still, completely irrelevant. He was headed for a grade school that was about to let out, that is your biggest misconception. What makes you think he was headed for a grade scool and for what purpose. The fact is your mind is in the gutter where you should also be for making such damning assumptions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lbr

Good.
lbr

That is a relief.

observer

why not ask the man to take a polygraph?

G

Why? When there is video proof that TWO of his stories was false…The part of his story that “the girls weren’t properly dressed” AND that there was a snowstorm.

.HE LIED. The girls were dressed properly, there’s video proof of that from the gas station. There was NO snowstorm http://barrington-il.patch.com/articles/photo-gallery-march-snow-storm#photo-9240857
And he followed them down an alley.
Dean Farrel

@G, For some reason you think that the fact that he lied makes him guilty of something sinister. It doesn’t! He commited no crime at all and was charged anyway.

Tyrone

disorderly conduct difinition. 1) actions that disturb others. 2) minor criminal offenses, such as public drunkenness, loitering, disturbing the peace, and loud threats or parties. I guess now offering help. I believe he was up to something on the mere fact he plead guilty. But what disturbs me is they can arrest you for just talking to someone.

lbr

DId you READ why????
NOT Because he just spoke with someone.
lbr

I guess if you were there, or READ the press realease you would know.
He followed them.
STALKED them.
Lied about it.
Lied about what they were wearing.
LIED LIED LIED.
WHY?
He did not just come across someone and try to “talk’

Dean Farrel

Some people lie all the time. that doesn’t make them a criminal, it makes them a liar!

Corey G

I’m guessing TYRONE doens’t read much.

texxt

This story is yet famous all over the world :-D and it says a lot…I expect now attack on Iran…First but Syria of course.

James of Ascot Vale

It’s off topic, but I can’t for the life of me understand why the US has not invaded Syria yet. As for Iran, their sharia law alone, where they execute female rape / sex slavery victims, is enough to warrant an invasion.

Samuel Davis

All of you people who want to paint a picture of guilt where one doesn’t exist are what is wrong with our justice system. The only relevant fact present here is, offering someone a ride is not disorderly conduct! Every other theory raised here, the assumption he was following the girls or he was headed toward a grade school about to let out is all a bunch of irrelevant nonsense!!!

G

SAM….Do some research before you carry the cross for this guy. .

HE LIED. The girls were dressed properly, there’s video proof of that from the gas station. There was NO snowstorm http://barrington-il.patch.com/articles/photo-gallery-march-snow-storm#photo-9240857
And he followed them down an alley.

Samuel Davis

I don’t care if he lied. I don’t care if he claimed the grass is blue and the sky is green. Had he gone beyond offering a ride, there would have been more to this story. Your ASSUMPTION that he was trying to score sex or was intending to abduct them is nothing more than an ASSUMPTION. He stayed within the letter of the law. He broke no laws, yet was arrested anyway. The best thing he apparently could have done was to remain silent until an attorney was present.

Thomas

G– you are obviously either a parent of the two girls or someone affiliated with the D.A. office. Your proof that “He Lied” is a collection of photos from the evening of March 2nd which clearly shows snow/slush on the streets and sidewalks, one photo is of a four wheeler with a snow plow on the front, and the caption below is: “March comes in like a lion” .

Are you really that stupid?

G

Shut it Tom and read dummy.

Rodney T. Peterson of Arlington Heights pled guilty today to Disorderly Conduct for his alarming of two thirteen‐year old students by offering them a ride home. Mr. Peterson was arrested by Barrington
Police for the incident which occurred March 2, 2012. He was sentenced two
years supervision, a $400 fine and prohibited from having contact with the two students or their families. Mr. Peterson was represented by an attorney in the Cook County courthouse in Rolling
Meadows, IL. Police provided evidence to the Village Prosecutor that, contrary to news reports and Mr. Peterson’s statements to police and the press, there was no snowstorm yet nor was it snowing at the time of the incident. Further, investigation leading up to the charges showed that the students were dressed properly for the weather in coats and one wearing boots. That evidence came from area business security camera video and squad car camera video of unrelated police traffic stops at the time the incident first occurred. After first spotting the students at a gas station Mr. Peterson lost sight of them. A couple minutes later after paying for his gas, he drove down the alley into the neighborhood to look for them. They were not in any distress or in need of any assistance whatsoever. It wasn’t dark out and they were in a residential neighborhood. Mr. Peterson tried to engage the students, asking them how far they had to walk home and if they needed a ride. The students said they did not have far to walk and waived him on.

G

And THAT was the dreaded snowstorm that the girls were supposed to be in??? Give me a break, my 4 year old wouldn’t even be excited for just that amount of snow.
Dean Farrel

And for that you feel he needed to be arrested? You aren’t thinking straight!

G

Sam, what are you NOT understanding here? You must be from the Peterson camp.
Why don’t you care that he lied about his story? That’s strange! Why do you think he lied about everything? What do you think his motives were Sam?

The man of God said he was offering the girls a ride because it was bad weather and he felt the need to save them because they weren’t wearing coats….

But in reality…. He FOLLOWED them down an alley (ever hear of STALKING)…Its was NOT raining OR snowing at the time this happened AND there’s video PROOF that the girls were wearing coats.

He lied Sam. He lied. He was a creepy old guy trying to pick up two 13 year old girls.

Samuel Davis

Your fairy tale assumptions are noted. God, i hope I never end up in court with you as a juror. You just don’t care what the law says, it’s all about your emotions!

G

Fairy tale…Is that what Rod was going to tell the little girls, a story? Or did he just want a little tale? LOL

Thomas

G– anytime now, and don’t be bashful, feel free to present a link to the “Video Proof” that shows the 2 malnourished teens in clothing that was suitable for the harsh conditions of that day. By the photos in the link YOU posted, it is evident that it was stormy that day.
I still don’t see any pictures of the girls in proper attire for the storm, nor do I see a picture of the “Alley” that exists in Barrington. –Pretty sure there isn’t one.

Prove me wrong!

G

Oh STFU….Ask the police for the evidence,,they’re the one who say they have it.

You are the same people on the other story that praised this guy….
Go to church with him and live in your imaginary world.

http://markruffolo.wordpress.com markruffolo

Feminist formulation: better that ten innocent men suffer than that one guilty escape.

Dean Farrel

As true as that is, it’s completely sick!

G

For those followers of Saint Peterson – the savior of frozen souls, what were his motives? And why did he lie to everyone about the weather, and the way the girls were under-dressed?

If he was doing was a good deed, why lie at all about anything? And why didn’t he fight the charges? I don’t think fighting a misdemeanor would have made that big of dent in his personal life.

Dean Farrel

I think the point all of us followers of Mr. Petersen want to express is, it is not against the law to offer a ride to somebody. Even if you lie through your teeth about the circ*umsta*nces surrounding the event. It was not a crime. Had he touched them, said something nasty, offered them drugs or alcohol, continued to bother them, or exposed himself, then he would be in the wrong. Offering a ride to someone is not illegal. His lieing proves nothing. Maybe he simply said what he thought would make the police go away, who knows? The basic fact remains, he did not break any laws and should have fought the charges!!!

G

He was charged because he SCARED two thirteen year old girls.

Is he that far up your a$$ that you can’t seem to comprehend this?

G

http://www.imperfectparent.com/topics/2012/03/20/father-who-offered-ride-to-girls-during-snow-storm-pleads-guilty/

Dean Farrel

Thank you for providing this link. You have provided evidence that no crime occured and Petersen was wrongly arrested. I would suggest to everyone in the future; Never, ever offer assitance to anyone, ever. It just isn’t worth it. With people like G out there, even a good samaritan is fair game. G is what is wrong with the world today!!!

G

LOL!! You’re hilarious!!
G

LOL Whatever you say, you can keep pionting the finger at me like I did something wrong. But I don’t go around scaring little girls and lying about it.

My intuition was right all along while everyone was suckered because he threw around his Christianity and God and “good deed”. Then come to find out he lied about the events. Shame shame shame. But God forgives I suppose so he’s off the hook in his eyes.
You go ahead and crown him good Samaritan of the year. That’s on you.

But FYI, it’s not just me, the rest of the world knows he’s a liar and a creep.
G

Maybe I should say – Predator

James of Ascot Vale

His wife would be justified in filing for divorce and moving herself and the two children elsewhere. He either pled guilty because he WAS guilty, or he’s an idiot… the maximum penalty was $750? So by ruining his name he’s saved $250. If he’d fought it at least there’d be some conjecture of his innocence.

James of Ascot Vale

Saved $350, sorry!
Cris

Supposedly it was going to complicate his move so he wanted it over with.
He pleaded guilty because of the evidence that the police had, and he didn’t want to embarrass his poor wife anymore that she has been.
If he lied about everything else, why wouldn’t he lie about his true intentions?

http://eatsreadsthinks.wordpress.com Selby

Don’t take rides from strangers. Period.
It is not against the law to offer somebody a ride. Period.

Kudos to the girls for saying “no thanks.” Shame on them for taking it upon themselves to report the guy for what he “might” have done. Shame on CBS for sensationalizing this.

Typical overreaction of the age of Helicopter Parenting and Media Frenzy: instead of common sense, we teach kids that EVERY encounter with an adult stranger is to be treated as a threat.

G

The girls were not in danger or in need. He lied about everything and drove the neighborhood looking for them. So common sense says he was up to no good so most likely he lied about his intentions as well. Even though perverted thoughts not put into action is no way reason for a charge someone I read that he violated some kind of ordinance to get charged with that misdemeanor, maybe there’s a law in Barrington that says you’re not allowed to offer minors a ride when there is no reason to.