Pulled Over for Speeding, But I Don't Believe It Was Me. Advice on How to Proceed?

I’m in Location: Utah and got pulled over and cited for going 80 in a 70. The officer claimed I was going 89, but said he’d only cite me for 80. I found this odd because my car is a 1994 white Volvo, which, while reliable, does not accelerate well. When I mentioned this to the officer, he agreed, saying something like “Yeah, that’s why I thought it was weird that this old car would be going so fast!”—and this is recorded in the dashcam footage.

I pled not guilty at the arraignment and requested evidence, including dashcam footage and radar/lidar calibration proof. They sent me the dashcam footage, the officer’s certificate to operate the radar/lidar, and a certificate of accuracy dated 2021, but they did not provide any documentation showing the radar/lidar was calibrated at any time before or during the shift.

Here’s where it gets strange: In the dashcam footage, a white car (which looks like a newer Tesla) passes the officer before he pulls out. My car, a 1994 Volvo, is very distinct—it’s boxy and rectangular. The officer pulls out, seems to lose track of the Tesla, then drives about half a mile before pulling me over.

In the officer’s statement, he mentions I was passing other vehicles, but that’s not shown in the footage. In fact, I can be seen driving with cars passing me.

It seems to me like I was mistakenly pulled over in place of someone else. I don’t believe I was going 89 mph.

I plan to get a statement from my mechanic documenting my car’s slow acceleration and present this information to the judge. I was also advised to reach out to the prosecuting attorney’s office to see if they would be open to dismissing the charge, as I have evidence that casts reasonable doubt on whether I was the one speeding.

Is there anything I’m missing here? This seems pretty clear-cut, but I’d appreciate any commentary or advice.

Thank you!

Posted May 4, 2025, 4:42 PM UTC

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