An officer’s failure to confirm whether a speed limit sign was properly identified has resulted in a dropped speeding ticket for one Jasper resident.

Jamie Rothon was accused of speeding on October 16, 2009 on Highway 16 some distance west from the Jasper National Park gate by a Cst. Danny Knight, who had stopped Rothon on the day of the alleged offence. Rothon denied these allegations at the April 8 sitting of Jasper Provincial Court.

The move paid off.

Cst. Knight could not prove to the court that the speed limit sign in the park was properly marked with a National Park sticker. He apparently had not checked the sign to make sure  it was properly marked.

Once Crown Prosecutor David Clifton figured out Cpl. Knight could not prove that the sign was proper, he dropped the case.

Clifton told the court that he had been prosecuting speeding tickets in Jasper for a number of years and he knew that when he could not prove the speed limit sign had the proper identification on it, the case was dead.

“The crown has failed to prove that you were speeding. You’re free to go.,” said Judge Don Norheim to a somewhat incredulous Rothon.

The judge also stated to Cst. Knight that “You’ve learned a lesson here today constable.”

“You won’t see me again,” said a smiling Rothon to Cst. Knight as they were leaving the court room.