Traffic stop culture clash

A visitor’s unfamiliarity with U.S. driving protocol resulted in a police stop at gunpoint Wednesday on Interstate 90.

The driver and his three passengers, all Chinese nationals in the U.S. on a golf vacation, were released with just a warning.

The incident of international miscommunication occurred around 5:25 p.m. when Shoshone County Sheriff’s Deputy Tonia Brown observed a silver passenger car speed past her marked patrol vehicle as she was traveling westbound on Interstate 90 near Smelterville. Brown estimated the silver vehicle was traveling about 90 mph.

“Brown also noticed the vehicle swerving in and out of traffic, tailgating and other characteristics of reckless driving,” said Sheriff Mitch Alexander, in an email to The Press.

The deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop near Smelterville, but the vehicle failed to yield.

Brown reported she became nervous because there were multiple passengers in the car who were acting suspicious and making what appeared to be threatening hand gestures.

“The driver and passengers began putting sunglasses and hats on, and they were moving all over the inside of the vehicle,” Alexander said.

The vehicle finally pulled over about 10 miles later near Cataldo.

“The driver immediately exited the vehicle and approached Brown’s vehicle,” Alexander said.

Brown soon discovered the driver and all three passengers were vacationing Chinese nationals holding passports. The driver of the vehicle spoke very broken English and the other three occupants spoke no English at all, Alexander said.

The Chinese nationals were en-route to the Seattle airport to go home. Brown said communication with the driver was extremely difficult and after ensuring all parties had no warrants, they were released.

“It would do little good to issue a citation, that more than likely they wouldn't pay, and we wouldn't issue a warrant on a Chinese citizen,” Alexander said, adding they also discovered why the driver took so long to stop the vehicle.

“Brown was able to discover that one of the passengers in the car was a Chinese policeman,” Alexander said.

Battling through the language barrier, Brown learned from the foreign law enforcement officer that in China, when an officer initiates a traffic stop, he pulls his police car in front of the vehicle to be stopped. The vehicle then follows the police car to a suitable spot for the traffic stop.

“The driver reported he did not pull over immediately because he was waiting for Brown to pull her police vehicle in front of his,” Alexander said.