Arizona Legislator Caught Running Red Light

In Local Events by Barbara HoffmanLeave a Comment

By:  Frank Hinds, Executive Director

Tucson State Senator Frank Antenori was cited for running a red light this past January in Scottsdale.  The light had been red for at least a minute and the other cars at the intersection had clearly stopped for the light.  Antenori’s vehicle was caught by a red light camera and the video shows his vehicle, a pickup truck, rolling past the stopped cars and on through the intersection without hesitation.

Fortunately there were no vehicles traveling across the intersection on the green light.  Senator Antentori says he wasn’t paying attention, but didn’t think he was a risk to anyone because there wasn’t much traffic and it was 11:30pm.  To the contrary, the traffic camera video shows quite a few cars at the intersection, and while he was lucky there was no collision, a pedestrian could easily have stepped off the curb in front of his truck and been struck.

The law that requires drivers to stop for red lights is not optional.  It doesn’t say, if the coast is clear and it’s 11:30 at night – go for it – you’ll probably make it!

The Senator says he will pay his fine – but since he is a vocal opponent of photo enforcement cameras, you can bet he will be searching for a way to introduce new legislation to restrict the use of cameras in the future.  The same red light cameras that have proven over and over again, in cities across the country, to reduce crashes and save lives. 

Oh and by the way – Senator Antenori is leaving the Arizona State Senate this fall to run for Congress!!

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