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Like father, like son, but neither likes a certain stop sign

This week started poorly for a Largo man and his son who were ticketed by the same police officer on a charge of running the same stop sign about 30 minutes apart.

By Eileen Schulte
Published January 17, 2007

This week started poorly for a Largo man and his son who were ticketed by the same police officer on a charge of running the same stop sign about 30 minutes apart.

Both told the officer they were late for work.

After neighbors complained about drivers running a four-way stop at Vonn and Wilcox roads, police sent Officer Carl Gracy to watch the intersection Monday.

At 8:56 a.m., Gracy saw a blue Plymouth van heading north on Vonn turn right onto Wilcox without stopping, police said. Gracy pulled the van over and issued Donald Christman, 51, a $117.50 ticket.

At 9:29 a.m., Gracy saw a purple Suzuki sport utility vehicle, also heading north on Vonn, make the same right turn without stopping, police said. Out came Gracy's ticket book. Brian Christman, 19, received a $117.50 citation.

Both men, who could not be reached for comment Tuesday, live at the same address and are father and son, police said. And in the hour that Gracy worked the location, police said the two men were the only drivers to run the stop sign.

[Last modified January 17, 2007, 11:14:07]