Two months after a highly-publicized traffic encounter exposed a rift between Orlando City Commissioner Shan Rose and the city’s police department, Rose has put the incident to bed. She agreed on Monday afternoon.Through her attorney, she pleaded no contest to a citation for “impeding traffic.” She’ll pay a $164 fine and court costs. The hearing officer withheld adjudication, which means Rose will not have a criminal traffic record. “You’re impeding the flow of traffic, ma’am. I need you to move your vehicle. The road is blocked right there,” said one OPD officer to Rose the night of Dec. 31. She was exiting Camping World Stadium following the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.Rose was on the phone with police Chief Eric Smith while talking with officers, after she refused to move her vehicle in the direction all other traffic was told to follow. Rose said into the phone, while being recorded on an officer’s body-worn camera, “Do you hear how aggressive he’s getting chief? I’m the commissioner. I live in Parramore. You can’t tell me I can’t go home.” Rose lives less than half a mile from the stadium. But with 60,000 patrons leaving, police and city traffic planners made a detour with orange cones to send exiting traffic onto the State Road 408 toll road. Eventually, Rose followed instructions and entered the toll road. Rose told WESH 2 News in an exclusive interview following the incident with police that forcing someone to take a toll road was like imposing an unjustified tax. She promised to fight the ticket in court, but after hiring an attorney with “The Ticket Clinic,” she entered a no-contest plea. Rose has said she’ll use the traffic incident to work with city parking officials to improve the flow of traffic for people living near the stadium in the Parramore neighborhood, where she lives. Rose did not return our messages requesting comment.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Two months after a highly-publicized traffic encounter exposed a rift between Orlando City Commissioner Shan Rose and the city’s police department, Rose has put the incident to bed.
She agreed on Monday afternoon.
Through her attorney, she pleaded no contest to a citation for “impeding traffic.” She’ll pay a $164 fine and court costs.
The hearing officer withheld adjudication, which means Rose will not have a criminal traffic record.
“You’re impeding the flow of traffic, ma’am. I need you to move your vehicle. The road is blocked right there,” said one OPD officer to Rose the night of Dec. 31.
She was exiting Camping World Stadium following the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.
Rose was on the phone with police Chief Eric Smith while talking with officers, after she refused to move her vehicle in the direction all other traffic was told to follow.
Rose said into the phone, while being recorded on an officer’s body-worn camera, “Do you hear how aggressive he’s getting chief? I’m the commissioner. I live in Parramore. You can’t tell me I can’t go home.”
Rose lives less than half a mile from the stadium.
But with 60,000 patrons leaving, police and city traffic planners made a detour with orange cones to send exiting traffic onto the State Road 408 toll road.
Eventually, Rose followed instructions and entered the toll road.
Rose told WESH 2 News in an exclusive interview following the incident with police that forcing someone to take a toll road was like imposing an unjustified tax.
She promised to fight the ticket in court, but after hiring an attorney with “The Ticket Clinic,” she entered a no-contest plea.
Rose has said she’ll use the traffic incident to work with city parking officials to improve the flow of traffic for people living near the stadium in the Parramore neighborhood, where she lives.
Rose did not return our messages requesting comment.