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Councilman cited for driving with suspended license

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By Justin McClelland, Staff Writer Updated 10:18 PM Tuesday, January 24, 2012

LEBANON — A city councilman was cited last week for driving with a suspended license and improper license plates.

Matt Rodriguez was pulled over at 11:22 p.m. Jan. 16 at the intersection of Broadway and Mechanic streets in Lebanon for erratic driving, police records show. He was not cited for his driving, but while police were checking his license, it was discovered he had a suspended license.

Rodriguez said Tuesday the incident was a misunderstanding and accepted blame for driving without a license.

Rodriguez said his license had been suspended for 90 days following a previous traffic altercation. He did not elaborate. However, he had been granted privileges to drive to and from work.

Rodriguez said he did not realize the privileges were valid only for certain times of the day and that he was driving home from a work function at the time he was pulled over after the allowable times.

Rodriguez said he was pulled over because he was making a left turn onto Mechanic, but changed his mind and started to turn in the other direction.

As for the charge of fictitious plates, Rodriguez said he had just purchased a new car from a private individual and had not had the chance to transfer the title properly.

“I have too great a respect for our police and courts to deliberately disobey them,” Rodriguez said. “If I thought for a second I was in violation of my privileges, I would have pulled over.”

Rodriguez’s case is being heard in Lebanon Municipal Court, but a date has not been set, according to court records. He could face a fine if found guilty.

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4544 or jmcclelland@coxohio.com.

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