Please Help With Undeserved Failed To Stop On Red Ticket
Hi Guys! I am going to court a week from now to fight the traffic ticket and I need your insightful advise. I was charged last February for failing to stop on red light while turning right at the intersection though I absolutely had stopped.
I was driving east on Thackery road approaching Salem in Ajax. It happened in the evening and it was already dark. That was a red light for me at the intersection so I brought the vehicle to complete stop before the stop line as I always do. The stop line at this intersection located deep into Thackery road and approximately 28 feet away from the edge of Salem road. There were houses around, lots of light polls, real estate adds and other obstacles that obstruct the view. Also there were pretty tall snow banks last winter. Basically one could see nothing on Salem from that stop line. I started moving towards the edge of the road, crossed the pedestrian crosswalk and looked at the traffic on Salem. I saw the headlights of the approaching vehicle. The car was so far away I could not see what kind of car or truck was it. Then without stopping second time I turned right on Salem and started driving Salem road south. A few second later the siren went off behind me and I stopped approximately 200 meters away from the intersection. At that time I thought that was an ambulance or a firefighter's truck and I needed to let them to safely pass my car but actually it was a police cruiser. The officer stopped behind and issued a ticket for $325.00 (!) for not stopping on red. Previously I had a speeding ticket for driving 15 km/h over the limit. It did not affect my insurance but combination of the old and new tickets surely will. I asked for the disclosure. In his notes the officer writes that he was driving behind the other car when he observed my car committing an "offence". Same night I went to the place and took some pictures. There is no way for the officer to see neither my car at the stop line nor the stop line itself from position his vehicle was in.
I know that I am innocent but because of the bias in the court system in favour of the police testimonies I am not sure about the outcome. Please help with your advise and suggestions. Thank you very much.