OPINION: Candidate Poe doesn’t know the law

Thank you for posting your video interview of Jason Poe. It was interesting and as always, I like that the Royal Examiner is on top of things that concern our community.

I do have an issue however about someone running for Sheriff and not understanding the law. You asked Mr. Poe about a lawsuit filed against him, which he said he was not aware of, and you also said something about the fact that it had been almost 2 years since the accident. Mr. Poe stated that he knew nothing about the lawsuit, he was not served.

The statute of limitations on personal injury matters such as this is two years from the date of the accident. The accident in this case occurred on December 24, 2016. The lawsuit was filed in a timely fashion. That two years is generally spent gathering information and attempts by the insurance company to settle the case. If they are unable to settle they file suit – which appears to have occurred here. However, they can request service or withhold service. That being said when a lawsuit is filed the attorney will copy the named Defendants and/or their attorney on the filing of the same.

So Mr. Poe should have received this in the mail. The Sheriff’s office would have also received it and I’m sure notified their former employee, Jason Poe, of the same. He, however,  acted as if he did not know what the statute of limitations is, more concerning is that he went on record – in your interview and stated “it was a minor accident”, there was barely an impact, he was going between “24 and 26 mph at the time of impact.” He further stated that he knew the passenger and he felt bad because he knew her.  Mr. Poe stated “they stopped suddenly to watch Santa Claus cross the bridge”. There were two children in the back of the vehicle.

If Mr. Poe observed two children in the back of the vehicle and Santa Claus crossing the bridge, why didn’t he observe the car stop in front of him? Was he following too closely?

If Mr. Poe understood the law, as a candidate for Sheriff, he would understand that the statute of limitations has NOT run out for those two children in the back of the car. The statute of limitations does NOT run out on minors until 2 years after their 18th birthday. The other thing he said was – they stopped suddenly. He didn’t apologize, he didn’t accept responsibility, he didn’t admit any wrongdoing – he laid the blame on the driver of the car he hit and only said he felt bad because he knew the passenger. Can he accept responsibility for his actions? Clearly not. As an Officer of the Law, which he was acting in the capacity of at the time of the accident shouldn’t he have paid more attention? Shouldn’t he have been concerned about all the people in the car, not just the one he knew?

This is a candidate for Sheriff?

Just one more thing Ms. Shaw – Mr. Poe stated that he left the Sheriff’s office on January 23, 2017. He stated he started at Winchester January 23, 2017. I called the Sheriff’s office – his last day was January 17, 2017. I cannot obtain the information as to whether or not he was given any type of administrative leave as a result of this accident and I don’t know if you can get it via FOIA. But I do know this, despite what he said, the accident was 12/24/16 and he left 1/17/17. I don’t think this was a coincidence and I do not believe he is being very transparent. I wish your video had been live so people could call in and ask these questions.

Thank you for allowing a concerned resident of this County to voice his concerns. And again, thank you Norma Jean Shaw for your reporting on all this mess going on around here. You’re an asset to the County.

Arthur DuBois
Warren County