In Quincy, Illinois, police showed their commitment to public safety by arresting a man they caught committing the heinous crime of driving drunk people home free of charge.
The operator of the Courtesy Rides service which picks up people who choose not to drink and drive has been arrested again for violating the city ordinance which was created to stop him.
Jonathon Schoenakase, 1711 Melview Road, was arrested at 1:30 Saturday morning after he picked up a plain clothes Quincy Police officer from the Phoenix night club. The arrest was made after Schoenakase drove to the 48th and Harrison area and he was released on a notice to appear.
Lt. Jason Simmons says the sting was conducted following complaints about Schoenakase’s continuing operations from “other licensed operators”. Simmons declined to identify the business owner that made the complaint.
Schoenakase is already facing charges of violating the taxi ordinance from a previous sting in February. He has an appearance with counsel set for August 16 and a jury trail scheduled to begin in October.
Schoenakase began his operation on Jan. 31, 2008, saying he was inspired by the loss of a friend who died in a crash involving a drunk driver. He added a second car in the Spring of 2009 and began to draw the interest of the operators of Diamond Cab, who complained to city officials that Schoenakase was running a de facto taxi service.
In September 2009, the Quincy City Council altered the definition of its taxi and limousine ordiinance to include the words “for hire” since Schoenakase was attempting to use a loophole by saying he didn’t charge for his service and only operated on donations.
In June, Schoenkase and two other businessmen sought to obtain a license from the city and Quincy Police Chief Rob Copley was on the verge of recommending approval, but said Schoenakase needed to clear up some outstanding legal issues. The three men withdrew their request following a meeting with Copley.
According to the article, police conducted the sting after receiving complaints from “other licensed operators” which probably means that a representative from some taxi company that’s buddy-buddy with the local government whined to the police after finding out that Mr. Schoenakase was offering the same service for less money.
To much left out of this story. Is the operator of this vehicle licensed to carry as many passengers as the vehicle can carry? What’s the wording of the ordinance quoted in part here? What was he arrested for?
He was not even arrested. Says here he was releases with a notice to appear. But still fairly moronic.
Phil, phil, phil…
Taxi ordinances are fucking ridiculous. I mean, really? You can’t drive around and pick people up? What the fuck is that all about? I’m pretty sure some cab company way back when lobbied the city counsel for such regulations under the guise of protecting or helping the public, in order to quash competition.
This is a great human interest story for a national news outlet. They aren’t good for much anymore, but they do like it when someone gets kicked around like this.
I am sorry, but if he was not charging a fee he was not technically providing a taxi service. This is like saying my buddy can’t give me a ride because then he would be competing with the taxi companies. This is complete BS.
Here’s the Quincy IL PD contact info…
Robert Copley
Police Chief
110 South 8th Street
Quincy, IL 62301
(217) 228-4470
[email protected]
This email address is only monitored on weekdays during City Hall business hours.
Phil, phil, phil…
I have seen this before…paint “Not For Hire” on the side of the vehicle. It is then a personal vehicle and not a “commercial” vehicle.
So if some one asks me If I can give them a ride, and they’ll spot me the gas, saying yes is braking the law? Darn, they finally caught on to my master plan to put all cab company s out of business and make the car pool lane my very own, ha ha ha that’s bull sh*t ….. ‘let’s face it the home of the free has moved and didn’t leave a forwarding address.’ ‘Now it’s up too just us Brave’.
Taking drunk drivers off the street takes away “business” from the cops. Think of all the money lost by tow trucks, body shops, hospitals, mortuaries, and of course attorneys. A high school honor student got a call from a classmate who had been drinking at a party. She didn’t want to drive home drunk so this girl went to give her a ride. Just as the partier got into the “good Samaritan’s” car the cops show up. So guess who gets arrested. It gets worse, the school finds out, the good student loses her college scholarship, is banned from graduation, and basically had her life ruined. They did little to the girl who was actually drinking. The assistant principal (responsible for all this) ends up getting elected to the city council, where he continues his pursuit of “justice”.
Typical. Businesses lobby government to create “barriers to entry” when new competition show’s up offering the same for less. happens all the time. it’s not capitalism, it’s protectionism.
Thought y’all might like an update from someone that lives in the community affected…
He wasn’t just giving folks rides home for tips when they were drunk. He was picking them up at home and taking them to bars to GET drunk. He was also ferrying people back and forth to nearby casino-boats located in other states. What’s that, you say? Crossing state lines makes it interstate commerce? You don’t say….:
http://www.whig.com/story/news/Courtesy-Rides-Feds-110510
“The Quincy man who has violated a city taxi license ordinance by offering “courtesy rides” from bars and establishments has been fined $2,150 by a federal agency for giving nine passengers a bus ride last year to LaGrange, Mo.”
And, if you want to know why they require inspections and certifications:
“The bus was inspected by federal authorities on Nov. 10, 2009, and was placed out of service for numerous violations, including unsafe operations, improper or no wiring protection as required, improper battery installation, no fire extinguisher and one reflector not working.”
And, as for it being a “money grab”, the cost for licensing that he so strongly refused to even TRY to get is $10 for an operator license, and $10 for the vehicle.