Aspen defense attorney loses traffic case

ASPEN – Over the years Aspen attorney Richard Cummins has successfully defended a number of alleged criminals, including Charlie Sheen, but he couldn’t get himself out of a traffic ticket Wednesday.

Cummins appeared in Municipal Court to fight a citation that he ran a stop sign at the intersection of Durant Avenue and Aspen Street on Jan. 11. He pleaded not guilty, contending that the roads were icy and he was driving on a downward slope. Instead of running the risk of his brakes locking by stopping, he ran the stop sign instead, he said.

But Judge Ted Gardenswartz, sitting in for Brooke Peterson, said he had no choice but to find Cummins guilty, after reviewing video evidence providing by citing officer David Thompson.

“You could have made that stop,” Gardenswartz said. “I’m going to find you guilty.”

Gardenswartz, however, cut the fine for Cummins from $100 to $75.