Jaywalking Blind Man Gets Off The Hook

Cincinnati nailed its scofflaw meter-feeder, but it has decided not to go after its jaywalking blind man.

Jeff Friedlander, 48, was slapped with a jaywalking ticket after he was hit by a pickup truck and suffered a broken tailbone Jan. 22. The police officer who ticketed Friedlander thought the man had stepped out of the crosswalk and caused the accident.

But on Wednesday - less than a week after a woman was convicted of putting coins into other people’s expired parking meters - prosecutors dropped charges against Friedlander.

“While this person technically was in violation, there just was no purpose in continuing with the prosecution at this point,” prosecutor Charlie Rubenstein said.

“It was a shame that the officer was portrayed as the Grinch who stole Christmas. The officer did his job, and you can’t fault him for that.”