Lawyer arrested for fixing a defaced license plate charged with criminal mischief

A lawyer was biking through Park Slope last week, when he stopped to remove a piece a plastic that was covering the rear license plate of a truck. Mayor Adams has pledged to crack down on vehicles like this, with illegally obscured plates. WNYC’s Stephen Nessen reports what happens next.

Lawyer Adam White quickly realized two things. One, this isn’t the first time he’s removed plastic from this vehicle's plates before. And two, the driver was sitting in the truck. The driver offered to call the police. Both agreed.

And when the cops arrived they arrested White. He was charged with criminal mischief for defacing the plates. He says the driver got off without a ticket.

“It felt like a double slap in the face because it felt like here were the police were emboldening drivers to continue to obstruct their plates,” White said. 

The police didn’t comment. White is due in court on December first.