Man Who Offered Lift To Teen Girls Says He’s Victim Of ‘Good Deed Gone Wrong’

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Reporting Mai Martinez - CBS 2 Chicago


http://i.imgur.com/cLbuL.jpg

BARRINGTON, Ill. (CBS) – Two 13-year-old suburban girls are being credited with helping police catch a man who offered them a ride home.

Barrington police say the teens were alarmed and disturbed by the offer and took down the man’s license plate. But as CBS 2′s Mai Martinez reports, the man says he was only trying to help the girls, not harm them.

“This is a good deed gone wrong,” Rodney Peterson says.

During a March 2 snowstorm, he saw two teen girls leave a Shell station while he was pumping gas.

“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,” Peterson says.

When he drove off, he saw them a short distance away on Prospect Avenue near Waverly.

“I just pulled up and said ‘How far do you have to walk?’ And one of the girls just replied, ‘We’re OK,’ and waved me on.”

Peterson says he drove off and thought nothing of it until Barrington police showed up at his home three days later.

The married father of three, who has a fourth child due in June, listened in disbelief as police told him the girls reported the encounter and he was being charged with disorderly conduct.

His explanation did not assuage the police. Peterson’s wife of nearly 12 years can’t believe it.

“It really was a good deed, just misinterpreted,” she says.

Despite his being charged, the Petersons don’t blame the girls, their families or even police for following up.

“The question comes into why I was charged,” Rodney Peterson says.

Peterson is due in court on Monday. He’s facing a maximum $750 fine.

Barrington’s police chief said the girls in this case were “alarmed and disturbed” by Peterson’s actions. He said the right thing to do in a situation like that is to call police and tell them that the teens need a ride.

[RBP]

Stranger Danger!

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Stranger Danger!

It's out of control :|

Even though statistics say that kids are much more likely to be kidnapped/abused/molested by someone they know rather than a complete stranger. It's a much better world where we make sure the kids are absolutely scared shitless of anyone that talks to them. :wha:

What's worse is they are actually charging this guy with a crime :wtf:

[RBP]

I know right. Misunderstanding, let it go.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

This world has gotten to the point that if I saw any underage person anywhere, I wouldn't even look at them for fear of being labeled a child molester. A 15 year old girl could lay bleeding along the side of the road and instead of stopping I'd just call the cops. God forbid an adult male get to close to an underage female...you would most likely be accused of inappropriately touching her somehow. :roll:

[RBP]

CPR chest compressions could be molestation!

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Men are just inherently evil I guess :|

[Teh One Who Knocks]

And you know what's worse? If that had been a woman that offered the girls a ride, nothing would have come of it.

[RBP]

Men are just inherently evil I guess :|


And you know what's worse? If that had been a woman that offered the girls a ride, nothing would have come of it.

Exactly right!!

[Oofty Goofty]

So trying to be a good Samaritan is now considered lewd behavior? I can see the police investigating the incident and talking to him, but charging him is going too far. The whole world has lost common sense.

[Arkady Renko]

It's out of control :|

Even though statistics say that kids are much more likely to be kidnapped/abused/molested by someone they know rather than a complete stranger. It's a much better world where we make sure the kids are absolutely scared shitless of anyone that talks to them. :wha:

What's worse is they are actually charging this guy with a crime :wtf:

It's insane indeed. As you point out, the perception of the risk that kids run from contact with strangers is completely disproportionate to what overprotective parents and a paranoid media hype would have you believe. It keeps putting you in no end of awkward situations, too When I'm out with my kids and they play very nicely with some other kids we don't know, I always wonder if it's appropriate to ask if they'll go to that playground again so they and my kids can meet again.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

So trying to be a good Samaritan is now considered lewd behavior? I can see the police investigating the incident and talking to him, but charging him is going too far. The whole world has lost common sense.

Exactly....the charge is so completely BS because if the cops actually thought he was guilty of trying to abduct the girls, they would have charged him with a whole lot more than just Disorderly Conduct.


It's insane indeed. As you point out, the perception of the risk that kids run from contact with strangers is completely disproportionate to what overprotective parents and a paranoid media hype would have you believe. It keeps putting you in no end of awkward situations, too When I'm out with my kids and they play very nicely with some other kids we don't know, I always wonder if it's appropriate to ask if they'll go to that playground again so they and my kids can meet again.

Yup, it's completely gone crazy...I'm afraid to even make eye contact with anyone that even appears to be under the age of 18 just because of crap like this.

And as far as your point with the paranoid parents and media, I don't think there are any more kidnappings/molestations now than there were 50 years ago, the only difference now is that with 24 hour cable news and the internet, all the stories are out there for everyone to see in real time.

[perrhaps]

Why don't the police charge the girls' parents with neglect for allowing them to be outside in a snowstorm without adequate clothing ? This would make as much sense to me as charging this guy.

If I lived within an hour of Barrington, I'd photocopy this story, and every time it snowed, I'd call the police and tell them I see kids walking in the snow without what I feel is adequate clothing, and ask the police to pick the kids up and give them a ride to wherever they're going.

I guess the silver lining here is that we now know where Barney Fife ended up after he left Mayberry.

[Oofty Goofty]

Exactly what law did he break? He offered them a ride, then left when they declined. I think a good lawyer would have a field day defending him, then going after the police and city.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Exactly what law did he break? He offered them a ride, then left when they declined. I think a good lawyer would have a field day defending him, then going after the police and city.

Because they had to go investigate the girls' story and they had to charge them with something (because it's definitely his fault since he's a male and all and how dare he offer someone some assistance) so they used the good old catch-all crime of 'disorderly conduct'.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

The court case was supposed to be today for the disorderly conduct charge and fine, tried to find an update, but I don't see anything yet.

All I can hope is that some normal judge is hearing this cases and tosses it all out.

[PorkChopSandwiches]

:wtf:

[Godfather]

Wow toss that fuggin' case out.

You know what's sad, is that this is the exact reason that even living in my small college town, I'd never pull over to offer girls waiting at the bus stop or walking in home in the middle of the night, a ride.... as much as I feel that it's the right and decent thing to do :wha:

[Hal-9000]

I'm out at night in my car quite a bit and I've had a few adventures :lol:

One girl flagged me down, we chatted for a bit and she determined that I was 'one of the nice guys'. She had some weed, so did I and we smoked for about an hour laughing etc...Gradually the conversation turned to age and once we figured out each other's age, we both thought it would be a good idea to GET HER HOME NOW :lol:

Just as she's leaving my car she runs back and asks - Did I leave my shirt in there?
:shock: Then she shuffles through her saddlebag/purse and tells me not to worry, it's in there.

At NO time did we touch or do anything even slightly intimate.If she wasn't so cool and we weren't friendly, that could have gone very badly for me.....

I know what Lance is referring to...you gotta be careful or avoid the situation altogether.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Wow toss that fuggin' case out.

You know what's sad, is that this is the exact reason that even living in my small college town, I'd never pull over to offer girls waiting at the bus stop or walking in home in the middle of the night, a ride.... as much as I feel that it's the right and decent thing to do :wha:

Yup, sad what this world has become, isn't it?

[deebakes]

Exactly right!!

:slap:

[Loser]

I've learned to just mind my own fking business when it comes to being a "good samaritan".

Unless it's someone I know, fk em.

[RBP]

:slap:

wtf was that for? :x

[deebakes]

you agreeing to men being inherently evil... seems like a double standard you are advocating here :idk:

[deebakes]

and by the way, he looks guilty so i am sure he's not innocent in the first place :shrug:

[RBP]

you agreeing to men being inherently evil... seems like a double standard you are advocating here :idk:

Lance comment was sarcasm. I was a agreeing with sarcasm. :nono:

[deebakes]

Lance comment was sarcasm. I was a agreeing with sarcasm. :nono:

:slap:



:dance::cheerlead:

[PorkChopSandwiches]

:slap:

[DemonGeminiX]

:slap:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

He plead guilty :wha:



Arlington Heights man who offered girls ride pleads guilty
By Eric Peterson - The Daily Herald


An Arlington Heights man pleaded guilty Monday to misdemeanor disorderly conduct for alarming two 13-year-old girls in Barrington by offering them a ride home March 2, police said.

But Rodney T. Peterson, 33, continued to proclaim his innocence afterward, saying he agreed to a sentence of two years’ supervision and $400 fine so that legal proceedings would not hold up his family’s planned move from the Chicago area next month.

“I’m sorry that they were alarmed,” said Peterson, who also agreed to no further contact with the girls. “I had nothing but good intentions.”

Police and one of the girl’s parents Monday said evidence presented in court contradicts Peterson’s version of events.

They said video from a nearby business’ surveillance camera show that, contrary to Peterson’s claims, it was not snowing when he approached the girls, nor were they were improperly dressed for winter weather. Peterson has said he offered a ride to the girls because he believed they weren’t prepared for the inclement conditions at the time.

Barrington police have praised the girls for turning down Peterson’s offer of a ride and immediately reporting his approach.

Peterson’s actions met the village’s definition of disorderly conduct, Barrington Police Chief Jerry Libit said.

Peterson said his instinct was to fight the charges, but he feared that would hold up his plans to move with his pregnant wife and three children.

[PorkChopSandwiches]

No fuckin way... I would have fought that to the end

[MrsM]

There has to be more to this story - I don't believe that he would have just pleaded guilty if it was a mis-understanding

[FBD]

There has to be more to this story - I don't believe that he would have just pleaded guilty if it was a mis-understanding

I take it you havent been on the receiving end of something like that ever, eh? You will have everyone and their mother telling you it is just easier and guaranteed least severe punishment, vs *gloom and doom*

I've only read page 3, and I agree with Porky: I would have fought that shit to the end. Outside in freezing temps, snowing, getting to the point of late, they have no fookin jackets? Anyone with half a friggin heart at least stops and asks if they are ok, do they need a ride or a phone to call for one, something. It'd be a heavy thing on your conscience reading about two frozen girls the next day when you passed right by them, thought about doing the right thing, and kept on driving.

[MrsM]

I take it you havent been on the receiving end of something like that ever, eh? You will have everyone and their mother telling you it is just easier and guaranteed least severe punishment, vs *gloom and doom*

I've only read page 3, and I agree with Porky: I would have fought that shit to the end. Outside in freezing temps, snowing, getting to the point of late, they have no fookin jackets? Anyone with half a friggin heart at least stops and asks if they are ok, do they need a ride or a phone to call for one, something. It'd be a heavy thing on your conscience reading about two frozen girls the next day when you passed right by them, thought about doing the right thing, and kept on driving.

I understand that sometime it's better to take the guaranteed punishment if it's not that bad - but I still think that he said something or how he said it that creeped the girls out. Also the update seems to contradict some of his statements.

I would like to think that a sane legal system would not proceed on this case if he really just asked if they were ok and needed a ride... But I've been disappointed before so maybe I'm just fooling myself

[FBD]

well, you did say 'sane' :lol:

[MrsM]

well, you did say 'sane' :lol:

:)

[Hal-9000]

I'll still stop for girls and pick them up...

A story:

I was coming home late one night and an elderly lady jumped in front of my car in some sort of distress.I let her in and she kept saying - He's trying to kill me! He's trying to kill me!! Got her back to my place (quite late on a work night) and woke up my Dad, then called the cops.She was afraid that her father....was trying to kill her. Since she was in her 70's or 80's, I imagined her father must be like 100 at least :lol:

Long one short...after an hour or so, one of the cops explained that she had some mental problems, it's happened before we were told.

My moral - If I didn't stop and let her into my car and she did get killed....I would never have been able to forgive myself.She was almost in tears and looked really scared.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

I understand that sometime it's better to take the guaranteed punishment if it's not that bad - but I still think that he said something or how he said it that creeped the girls out. Also the update seems to contradict some of his statements.

I would like to think that a sane legal system would not proceed on this case if he really just asked if they were ok and needed a ride... But I've been disappointed before so maybe I'm just fooling myself

I would take the commentary from the article with a grain of salt. That was actually the least biased article I could find. One newspaper wrote out the update as if the guy in question was Chester the Molester and that whoever wrote the article slanted it like the author knew the guy was guilty.

[deebakes]

and by the way, he looks guilty so i am sure he's not innocent in the first place :shrug:


He plead guilty :wha:

told you so :dance: