San Angelo Man Ticketed for Doing 17 in a 10 — on a Bicycle

SAN ANGELO, TX — A San Angelo man cited for speeding on a bicycle near Lake Nasworthy said the San Angelo Police Department contacted him and resolved the matter after he posted a critical account of the stop on social media. 

Eddie Bonner said he and his wife were riding bicycles Wednesday evening from their home near the lake through Spring Creek Park, onto Fisherman’s Road and Mary E. Lee Road toward Lakehouse Pizzeria & Taproom when a San Angelo Police Department Lake Division officer activated emergency lights, pulled him over and issued a citation. 

Bonner said the officer told him he was traveling 17 mph in a 10 mph zone. He said the bicycle had no speedometer and that he had not ridden one in six years. The stop lasted long enough that the restaurant had only about 15 minutes left before closing, Bonner said, so the couple returned home. 

Bonner said he and his family has had multiple encounters with the officer over the years while living near the lake and parks and that he previously filed a complaint. After that earlier complaint, Bonner said, Police Chief Travis Griffith described the situation as “lawful but awful” and offered to dismiss those citations, which Bonner said he had already paid. 

In a Facebook post Wednesday, Griffith said the department had seen the concerns and asked that the circumstances of the latest incident be reviewed.

“We take concerns about the actions of our employees seriously,” Griffith wrote. He said the goal is to determine the facts and whether employees operated within the law, department policy and expected standards. 

Griffith said civil service rules and laws governing personnel matters limit what he can disclose publicly about an employee or the outcome of any review. He said that restriction should not be seen as a lack of accountability.

“We will review the facts, follow the applicable laws and procedures, and take appropriate action based on what the facts and applicable policies support,” Griffith wrote. He added that he would not discuss confidential personnel information on Facebook but would ensure the concern is reviewed. 

Bonner later posted an update saying the department reached out, the issue had been resolved, and he thanked SAPD for a swift response. He said he fully supports law enforcement and the department. The original post, he wrote, was meant to highlight what he viewed as a ridiculous scenario. 

City park rules require bicyclists to ride on designated paved roads and to follow applicable traffic laws. Griffith’s post did not address whether the citation would stand.