Mayoral candidate Howard "Kit" Carson arrested, sues the city
CHEYENNE n Cheyenne mayoral candidate Howard “Kit” Carson has been arrested twice this month because of several alleged traffic violations.
Most recently, Carson was arrested at the Wyoming Tribune Eagle on Monday for four warrants out of Cheyenne Municipal Court. He was at the newspaper for an interview with the WTE’s Editorial Board.
The warrants came about after Carson allegedly failed to appear in court on charges of no insurance, driving under suspension, no driver’s license and careless driving.
Carson was released from jail Tuesday on his own recognizance and is scheduled to appear in Municipal Court on July 23, Cheyenne Police Sgt. Rob Dafoe said.
Carson’s other recent arrest was on June 6 for a warrant out of Laramie County Circuit Court for driving under suspension.
An officer, who knew Carson’s license was suspended, saw him get in his vehicle and drive, Dafoe said. When the officer stopped Carson in the 1800 block of Pioneer Avenue, it was learned that he had a warrant for failing to appear in Circuit Court on another charge of driving under suspension.
The officer also issued Carson citations for driving under suspension and no proof of insurance.
Carson filed a lawsuit May 29 in Laramie County District Court over “bogus traffic tickets.”
The lawsuit states that Carson is representing himself. But Carson said Thursday his lawyer told him not to make any comment to the newspaper on the matters. Carson would not say who his lawyer is.
The lawsuit was filed against the city of Cheyenne, Mayor Rick Kaysen, the Cheyenne City Council, city attorney Dan White, and Municipal Court Judges Mark Moran and Paul Galeotos.
The lawsuit states that the March 22 traffic tickets for no driver’s license and careless driving were illegal.
Carson alleges in his lawsuit that the city’s traffic court is operated illegally under a system called the Non-Resident Violators Compact.
States that use the system pay “huge annual dues,” the lawsuit alleges, adding, “All this corporate nonsense is blatantly illegal and unconstitutional.”
Carson said his traffic tickets were “a monumental conspiracy by the city government, the county government and the state of Wyoming. … The governments are committing felonies against the people in traffic court/Municipal Court and extorting millions upon millions of dollars from the people!”
Carson seeks punitive damages of $10 million.
The first hearing in the case is scheduled for Sept. 7 before Laramie County District Judge Michael Davis. A motion has been filed on the city’s behalf to have the case dismissed.
City attorney White said he could not comment on the case, since it is pending litigation. But he said the case has been referred to the Wyoming Association of Risk Management, which is the city’s liability coverage provider. White said this is standard practice when there are cases that seek damages against the city.
Attorney Mark Stewart with Davis & Cannon of Cheyenne is representing the city. Stewart would only say that Carson’s allegations are baseless.
On June 15, Carson filed a similar lawsuit in Laramie County Circuit Court against the city, Kaysen, Police Chief Brian Kozak and police officer John Gay, alleging “official misconduct” and bogus tickets, which he seeks to have dismissed. He also seeks $7,000 in real damages in that case.
The charges in that suit are also baseless, Stewart said, adding that a motion has been filed to have it dismissed. No hearing date has been set in that case.
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