Knoxville Man Charged With Shooting Out Red Light Camera From Minivan

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Posted: 11:00 AM Nov 25, 2007
Last Updated: 11:41 AM Nov 26, 2007
Reporter: Nick Bona

24 comments

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Knoxville (WVLT) – Police want to know why a Knoxville man allegedly shot out the red light camera at Broadway and I-640.

It happened early Sunday morning around 2:00 AM.

A police officer on routine patrol heard four gunshots from the intersection and called for backup.

Three officers were searching the area when they noticed a minivan leaving from behind a closed business.

They stopped the car and questioned the driver who would not say what he was doing because he did not want to get in trouble.

That’s when they saw a .30-06 deer rifle sitting on the floor of the minivan.

Clifford E. Clark III, 47 of North Knoxville was taken into custody and charged with felony vandalism and reckless endangerment.

Police say the camera, made by RedFlex Traffic Systems, had three bullet holes in its box.

There is no word on if Clark had received any tickets from the red light camera.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: Cameras Increase Accidents on Dec 17, 2007 at 11:24 AM
Study: Cameras Increase Fatal Rear End Accidents (Ontario) A December 2003 study sponsored by the Ontario, Canada government finds increase in accidents and fatal rear-end collisions from red light camera use. Although three studies have shown a significant increase in rear-end collisions where red light cameras are used, cities using the devices are quick to dismiss such findings. Camera proponents maintain that such collisions are far less severe than angle collisions. This December 2003 study commissioned by Ontario, Canada's Ministry of Transportation shows that those rear-end collisions can be fatal. (Other studies drawing similar conclusions: Virginia, North Carolina, Australia.) After evaluating the performance of red light cameras at 68 sites over two years, the report concluded that jurisdictions using photo enforcement experienced an overall increase in property damage accidents of 18.5 percent coupled with a 4.9 percent increase in fatal and injury rear-end collisions.

Posted by: cliff on Dec 8, 2007 at 07:58 PM
Thompson do you have an email address where you can be reached?

Posted by: cliff Location: knoxville on Dec 8, 2007 at 01:30 PM
hi from cliff - much peace and love to everyone, and much thanks for those that has extended kindness. (as you might imagine, its a difficult time for me.)

Posted by: patriot Location: Knoxville on Dec 6, 2007 at 10:43 AM
Good job clifford . I wish more people would have the guts to stand up to our supposed governmet for the people. Every one is so scared they might loose their imagined secure little world. What they refuse to see is being controled by their fear is giving away the freedom and checks and balances in the government that actually kept them safe. Fear not or the thing you fear most will come upon you. Do not fear those who can kill the body. Fear God the one who can put you to eternal damnation!

Posted by: cliff Location: knoxville on Dec 4, 2007 at 11:59 PM
Hi from cliff I’m disappointed that so many people believe what they read or see on TV. I’ll ask you to kindly refrain from this behavior until this matter is resolved. The only danger that exists is the one that you concoct in your own imagination. In response to the few denigrating comments, let me say that I'll compare my intellect, and capability to any detractor’s intellect and capability. Also, when I was released from incarceration, a woman that may have been prosecuted for prostitution was also released. This woman was very kind to me during a difficult time in my life. If anyone can locate this woman, I’d like to show my appreciation to her for her kindness. I think there is a bible story where a prostitute washes the feet of Christ with her tears and then dries his feet with her hair. This might be Luke 7. I know how Christ must have felt for this act of kindness. Now, a detractor will attempt to convolute this statement into something other than what it is. I’m not claiming any divine status. I’m just commenting on how significant an act of kindness can be. – Perhaps you should try it sometimes … I would love to tell the public about what is occurring in our correctional facilities, but I will stop short until the local government decides my fate. - Much peace and love to you all. I remain yours in thought, Cliff

Posted by: Rev. A. M. Clark Location: Florida on Dec 4, 2007 at 05:17 PM
This message is for "thompson" you sound like a petty idiot, slandering a peson with Bi-Polar. It's people like you that degrade people & things you have no knowledge of! This man was a very successful business man,well educated, at UT with a 4.0. When people have no knowledge of what they speak, they need to keep their mouth shut. Man's mother USAF-Ret.

Posted by: bobby Location: knoxville on Dec 3, 2007 at 01:49 PM
I wonder what the county government does with all the money collected from these cameras...maybe lobster tails for everyone.

Posted by: Thompson Location: Knoxville on Nov 28, 2007 at 04:40 PM
I've personally seen and reviewed before and after testing of photoblocker. Being able to read instructions about proper application would have nothing to do with it. Try it yourself by taking a picture of your license plate with a 10 megapixel camera and flash. You will be able to read everything. It may have worked years ago when digital photography was in it's infancy and resolution was below 1 megapixel but that is no longer the case. The reason you haven't gotten a ticket yet is because you probably haven't run a red light. I doubt you would intentionally run a red light (not yellow) but if you do I would bet you would be ticketed. Clifford is stupid because now he is caught and charged with felony vandalism, he will be responsible for paying the damages which will probably run him $10-$20K. This could effectively ruin his life all because he may have gotten a $50 ticket. If he is a hero in your book, it must be a 'Stupid Criminals' book.

Posted by: pepper Location: knoxville on Nov 28, 2007 at 06:34 AM
somebody should put his picture on a t-shirt and make it say "free Clifford"!!

Posted by: Bobby Location: Knoxville on Nov 28, 2007 at 02:18 AM
You go,man!!!!!

Posted by: Bob Location: Clawfold, Tx on Nov 27, 2007 at 09:50 PM
Thomas Jefferson would be proud. The government needs to have the fear put to it once in a while so it remembers what happened in the 1770s to a government that acted about like ours does now.

Posted by: Gary Location: Knoxville on Nov 27, 2007 at 06:07 PM
Way to go Clifford!! I'm just sorry you got caught. The million's of dollars, that go out of Knoxville, could be used here.

Posted by: someone Location: knoxville on Nov 27, 2007 at 08:57 AM
Thompson, couldn't have worded it better!! The thing here is speeding and running red lights are illegal. Illegal is illegal. We may not agree with the some laws, we may choose not to obey them, then we pay the penalty when we are caught. If you speed and get a ticket, nobody to blame but yourself. If you run a light and get a ticket, nobody to blame but yourself. As far as this idiot, what was he doing sneaking around a closed business at two in the morning? Was he going to steal? And would that have been okay, because nobody was there to see it happen?

Posted by: maggie nola on Nov 27, 2007 at 04:18 AM
not the charge i would have expected given the mug shot ...

Posted by: Stephen Location: Knoxville on Nov 27, 2007 at 12:55 AM
I agree... this man is a hero. Most people in America have been beaten into submission, as made apparent by a few comments on this board. If I had the money, I would donate to his defense.

Posted by: Just me Location: Knoxville on Nov 26, 2007 at 11:09 PM
Photoblocker does work. You just need more than a 5th grade education to read the instructions. One coat doesn't work. You need to put several coats on. Like I said before. I've yet to get a ticket! and I drive past five of them every day! I hope more crazies will follow cliffords method of dealing with redlight cameras. He's a hero in my book! Just a stupid one!

Posted by: Nunya Location: Knoxville on Nov 26, 2007 at 12:44 PM
If you are obeying the law, it shouldn't be a problem for you.

Posted by: Thompson Location: Knoxville on Nov 26, 2007 at 12:40 PM
This guy is an idiot and now he's a felon. At 47 he should know better. Would you feel better if they took down cameras and gave every idiot a gun? By the way, photoblocker doesn't work and has been proven not to work, you've just been obeying the laws and are too stupid to know it. Obviously if you thought ahead and bought photoblocker then you planned on running red lights and causing accidents. They should arrest you too. How hard is it just to stop? If you really want to put the camera people out of business all you have to do is stop running lights, but judging from all of the comments on this and other sites we should worry about more important things like the collective intellect of the population decling rapidly. They also don't have guns in England either but I guess you didn't think about that.

Posted by: Ratchet on Nov 26, 2007 at 08:44 AM
THIS MAN IS A HERO!

Posted by: linda on Nov 25, 2007 at 11:14 PM
way to go clifford!!!!!!

Posted by: just me Location: Koxville on Nov 25, 2007 at 06:24 PM
To bad he got caught. I've never had a ticket from one of these (thanks to Photoblocker) but soon most everyone will get one. They plan on putting speeding cameras on the roads within a couple of years. They will rake in MILLIONS a year this way. Just look over at the UK. They have camera severywhere and the crime rate is still high. Putting 20 cameras on each corner is not going to solve the problem. Our government wants total control of you, your life and you money! Give it ten years and you will not have half the freadoms you have now. They are slowly taking them away.

Posted by: WEIRDOFREAK Location: KNOXROX on Nov 25, 2007 at 05:12 PM
Not too many people are out at 2am- but we are lucky that he was just shooting the camera AND that he was caught. I do not like the fact that that light is pretty tricky at times and many people have to slow down too quickly once they get there.

Posted by: Ryan on Nov 25, 2007 at 01:57 PM
That outrageous. That is crazy he could killed someone stray bullets can kill!!!!!!!