TVCH FORUMS HOME . JOIN . FAN CLUBS . DONATE . CONTACT . CHAT  
 Wikia  Quick Links   TOPICS . TREE-VIEW . SEARCH . HELP! . NEWS . PROFILE
Archive through January 10, 2008

The TVClubHouse: Other Reality Shows ARCHIVES: Archives for 2008 - 2: Little People Big World: ARCHIVES: Archive through January 10, 2008 users admin

Author Message
Sabbatia
Member

08-15-2005

Wednesday, December 19, 2007 - 12:19 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sabbatia a private message Print Post    
Aparently, this wasn't the first time he was arrested for this. His trial was set for Dec 5, but I couldn't find anything online on it.

Mamie316
Member

07-08-2003

Wednesday, December 19, 2007 - 12:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mamie316 a private message Print Post    
He screwed up big time but at least he's not covering up and is going to show it on the show.

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Wednesday, December 19, 2007 - 8:16 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Nope. No coverup..

====

Looks like I missed posting last month's email, maybe because I was getting ready to go out of town.. and got a new one today.


quote:

Dear Lynn,

Happy Thanksgiving from Roloff Farms!



Here at the farm, we have much to be thankful for-not in the least all of the encouragement, insight, and wisdom we receive from our fans.



We follow our thanks with an apology, for we didn't initially intend this letter to be sent to such a wide audience. Our original intention was to send this message only to Little People or others who might have an interest in the company Direct Access Solutions, Inc., the premier provider of accessibility products for traveling Little People. You may have seen Mike and me working with some of these products on "Little People, Big World." As you know, we don't normally use this list to plug our own handiwork.



However, it has come to our attention that several major hotel chains have been hesitant to invest in DAS kits simply because they've received little or no feedback from their guests. The number of responses from Little People staying in their unequipped establishments has been surprisingly low.



We understand that many LP's are fiercely independent and are happy to make their own adaptations, even if they are dangerous, like standing on top of an upside down trashcan. However, we've heard from countless other LP's who have stayed in hotels, used a DAS kit and have been very satisfied with the product during the course of their trip.



And here's where we come to the nitty gritty. As you and your families embark on your holiday travels, we're asking you to help us support hotels that support LP's. Even if you're not in need of a DAS kit yourself, we encourage you to ask the front desk upon checking in if the hotel provides any sort of accommodation for people of short stature or restricted mobility. This isn't just limited to LP's. We've heard stories of young children, aging grandparents, and those suffering from various skeletal and muscular ailments who were unable to access everything in their hotel room and could have benefited from a DAS kit. By speaking up and bringing visibility to this issue, you're helping to pave the way for a more comfortable stay for others.



An even more powerful step you can take to help ensure that more hotels provide DAS kits is to fill out the comment card in your hotel room at the end of your stay. Little Person or not, if you or someone you know had trouble accessing any element of your hotel room, the establishment needs to know! They can't make changes unless they know there's a problem. On the other hand, if you stayed in a hotel that was DAS equipped and you were happy with the availability of the product, let someone know about that too! Positive feedback is greatly appreciated in the hospitality industry, and helps to assure the hotel that they made a good investment with DAS.



In fact, we're so excited about the difference you can make through something as simple as a comment card, that if you take a picture of your completed card and email us a copy before January 30th, we'll send you a special gift from the Roloff family.



You can email your comment cards to kaitlin@mattroloff.com.



Another option is to have the hotel make a copy of the comment card. They'll keep the original, and you can send the copy to:



Matt Roloff

Hotel Comments

22115 NW Imbrie Drive
Box 317
Hillsboro, OR 97124

However you get us your comments, be sure to include your name and contact information, the name of the hotel, and the dates of your stay. Again, if you send us all of this information before January 30, 2008, the Roloffs will send you a token of their appreciation.


In the future, if you would like to receive more updates and announcements specific to DAS, please click the "Update my Profile/Email Address" link below. From there, simply check the box next to "Direct Access Solutions" and you'll be added to that mailing list.



Thank you for your time and understanding. Together, we can make a difference and help hotels across the nation become equipped for guests of all sizes. We look forward to hearing from you in the beginning of the year!



With gratitude,

Matt Roloff and Family



_____________________________



Happy Holidays from Roloff Farms!
Dear Lynn,


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Roloffs!



We'd like to start this letter out with a huge thank you to all of you who took the time to respond to our last Direct Access Solutions-related newsletter. We were overwhelmed by your enthusiasm and willingness to help make more hotels accessible for Little People. The time you've spent sharing testimonies and providing us with comment cards from your stays has been truly touching.



We also need to acknowledge all the concern and compassion we received after the horrible storms and floods that hit Oregon and Washington recently. Fortunately, our farm and our family are just fine, but many others were not so lucky. The Red Cross Oregon Trail Chapter is still hard at work providing disaster relief, and you can help them with their efforts here. Zach, Jeremy, and Molly recently had the opportunity to volunteer with some of their classmates in Vernonia, one of the towns in Oregon that was hardest hit by the storm. The kids spent the day crawling under houses, clipping twine and removing ruined insulation. They were struck by how high the water had flooded the houses-six feet up in some cases! Our thoughts continue to remain with the families who had their lives so suddenly and irrevocably altered by Mother Nature.



We've enjoyed sharing all our of adventures with you this fall, and a new season of "Little People, Big World" will air in the spring, featuring highlights from this year's Pumpkin Season and plenty of other surprises.



The newest project on the farm is something Amy's been asking for since we bought the farm almost 20 years ago...a garage! Right now, we have a foundation down and lots of lumber all over the place. There are still some details that need to be finalized in terms of scope and size, but you know that minor details have never stopped us from digging into a new project. We'll be sure to let you know how the garage progresses.



As you witnessed in this year's DAAA games, Amy is quite the competitor. She's recently found a new outlet for her competitive nature and is now on a bowling team! She continues to enjoy teaching pre-school and is making Christmas ornaments for each one of her four-year-old students as we speak. She's very dedicated to her class, and spends many hours putting together projects for them.



Zach and Jeremy are halfway through their junior year of high school. Both of them are very busy with school, homework, and contemplating their future. They have been searching for colleges, doing a lot of research, and will soon be visiting some of their favorite choices to get a clear picture of where they want to go.



Zachary loves the freedom of having a driver's license and has actually taken on the role as the primary driver in the family. Having him shuttle the kids to and from school, home, and sports practices has been great and frees up some time for Amy! We've been really impressed with his confidence, skill, and responsibility behind the wheel.



Jeremy is hard at work on his hovercraft, and it is very near completion. He has a strong enthusiasm for anything with propellers and is beginning to talk more about wanting to get a pilot's license. We've always encouraged our kids to dream big and "fly high" - but the thought of Jeremy in the cockpit of an airplane does make us a little nervous.



Molly continues to be involved in sports, and her volleyball team came in first place in their tournament recently. She's also become quite the traveler-she recently got another stamp in her passport during a mother-daughter weekend in Victoria, British Columbia.



Jacob is our soccer-fanatic, but he still manages to find time to play computer games-his other love. He's very competitive, and growing up so fast! He hangs out with his teenage siblings and their friends so often, that sometimes we forget he's only ten.



Before we wrap things up, I'd like to touch briefly on my upcoming trial. As many of you know, I am currently in a situation that will play out in the courts. I never thought that I would find myself in a situation where I would face a jury - but since that is where I am at the moment, I am so grateful our justice system is the best in the world.



The most difficult part of this entire ordeal has been the inability to share the facts of the case with my friends and fans. I take these charges very seriously and when everything is settled and behind me, please know that I look forward to sharing the experience. Since the beginning of our television show, my life has been an open book, and this is no different. Thank you to all of you who have expressed your encouragement and support.



In terms of the holidays, we're looking forward to spending a peaceful family Christmas on the farm with a little time away from the cameras. Of course the kids love having some time off from school as well. We wish you and your families all the best the season has to offer and look forward to checking back with you after the New Year!



Until 2008,

Matt, Amy, Jeremy, Zachary, Molly, and Jacob




Max
Moderator

08-12-2000

Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 2:34 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Max a private message Print Post    
When Matt was diagnosed with diabetes, the thought crossed my mind that this might play into his defense of the DUI charges. If his blood sugar was out of control.

The local papers covered his initial arrest and arraignment, but there hasn't been anything regarding a follow-up hearing. I imagine the date was postponed, which happens frequently for a variety of reasons.

I hope it all gets resolved without too much difficulty. I'm sure the local paper will be covering a trial, if it really goes that far.

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 5:45 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
I think the previews showed that they had an attorney who is a little person, but certainly it may not go to trial. Amy and Matt seemed to indicate that he had to "take his medicine", whatever that might be. Guess the timing was good that Zach and Jeremy got their licenses, or Amy would have been doing all the driving for everyone.

Reader234
Member

08-13-2000

Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 10:37 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Reader234 a private message Print Post    
I really thought I saw, or read something that stated the hearing on Dec 5 ended in Matt agreeing to go to alcohol abuse program, and probation for a year...

Thanks Sea for posting the letter!!

Max
Moderator

08-12-2000

Friday, December 21, 2007 - 2:48 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Max a private message Print Post    
As I said, there hasn't been anything in the local media (the Roloff farm is about five miles from my house) and I'm sure it will get covered. Someone on Matt's Web site forum posted that the trial was held over until January, but I can't find anything to substantiate that. I would be that it's true, though. :-) Guess we'll have to wait and see.

Max
Moderator

08-12-2000

Tuesday, January 08, 2008 - 12:42 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Max a private message Print Post    
The local news just reported on the 11:00 news that Matt Roloff's DUI trial starts tomorrow. They (KOIN Channel 6 - CBS affiliate) also apologized for stating in an earlier broadcast that Matt had another DUI stop in the last six months. I guess they stated that in the earlier news broadcast. Anyway, they apologized, saying that portion was incorrect.

I'll keep an eye on the news tomorrow and the rest of the week to see what happens and let you know. :-)

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Tuesday, January 08, 2008 - 7:30 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
Thanks Max!!! I'll be waiting!

Ophiliasgrandma
Member

09-04-2001

Tuesday, January 08, 2008 - 9:49 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Ophiliasgrandma a private message Print Post    
Like I pointed out earlier, at Matt's size it sure wouldn't take much more than a glass of wine to get him schnockered. I don't envision that he was someplace knocking back booze one drink after another. If indeed he was impaired because of alcohol it was probably he just misjudged his capacity to drink. Of course, if true, that is still no excuse to drink and drive. I sure hope it all works out for his good. I'm sure he's learned a lesson, if a lesson needed learning.

Max
Moderator

08-12-2000

Tuesday, January 08, 2008 - 5:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Max a private message Print Post    
Jury was seated and the trial started today. I suspect it will wrap up tomorrow. These things don't usually take too much time once they get going. Stay tuned!

Trial Starts For 'Little People' Star

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Reality television star Matt Roloff began to fight charges of driving under the influence Tuesday.

Roloff was arrested in June, accused by deputies of swerving on West Union Road near Helvetia.

Deputies said Roloff failed a field sobriety test and was arrested. He was taken to the Washington County Jail and cited on charges of DUII, refusing a breath test and failing to drive within a lane.

A judge ruled Tuesday morning that a deputy sheriff had probable cause to stop Roloff after he drove away from a bar that night.

Max
Moderator

08-12-2000

Wednesday, January 09, 2008 - 12:15 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Max a private message Print Post    
So apparently the officer who stopped Matt saw him exit the Rock Creek Cafe just before midnight. The officer then followed Matt down the road and observed him "driving erratically." Upon pulling Matt over, the officer says that Matt failed "the eye test for sobriety" and subsequently refused to take a breath test, whereupon he was cited for a DUI and arrested. THere are six men comprising the jury on the trial, some of whom stated during the jury selection process that they had seen the show. The trial is expected to finish tomorrow (Wednesday).

My thoughts: I've been to Rock Creek Cafe many times. They make great pizza and other items, but their biggest business (especially late at night) is the bar. It's what I would describe as a friendly neighborhood bar that leans towards the dumpy side. THere are a lot of regulars who live nearby and there are lottery games, pool tables, darts, all the standard pub stuff. George, the owner, is often around and loves to have a good time laughing with people.

Now, at midnight or later on any given night, it would be very easy for a police officer to pick a patron, follow him/her a bit and stop them for a DUI. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if there were officers who waited for just such an opportunity. It's the kind of place that invites such observation.

Anyway, that's the first thing.

I never heard of an eye test for sobriety, so I looked it up. The technical name is horizontal gaze nystagmus test. The officer is supposed to ask you to follow his finger or a light or some object with your eyes from one side to the other. If the eye begins to jerk before reaching a 45-degree angle, it's supposed to be a sign of a blood alcohol level of 0.05% or higher.

The test is far, far from reliable as there are many factors that can influence the jerking of the eye, along with a huge amount of subjectivity in measurment of the object's angle when the eye begins to jerk. Add in the fact that Matt has physical challenges and it was near midnight (making observation trickier as well as adding the complication of tiredness to the mix) and you have numerous opportunities for a defense attorney to shoot holes into the assumption of a DUI status.

Refusing the breath test was the right thing to do. Attorney's advise to NEVER consent to these tests in the field, even though the result is an additional charge.

At any rate, it would seem to me that there is plenty here for a good defense attorney to work with. I hope Matt has a good attorney.

Oregon has also had at least one instance (in Corvallis, not Hillsboro) where an officer was staking out bars and stopping patrons who left them, giving them they eye test, and charging them. When they did take breath tests and/or blood tests, they had little or no alcohol in their systems. The officer was simply overzealous -- or on some sort of personal mission to keep people out of bars or something.

More tomorrow when I hear the next phase of the trial. :-)

Brenda1966
Member

07-03-2002

Wednesday, January 09, 2008 - 1:44 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Brenda1966 a private message Print Post    
Very interesting. I think in my state when you refuse the breathalizer, you can then take a blood test back at the station (or you can refuse that as well and get arrested for DUI).

I've heard the same -- never take the breathalizer. But I'm a tee-totaller, so I don't have to worry about it. LOL.

Yep, sounds like a good defense. thanks for the update.

Yankee_in_ca
Member

08-01-2000

Wednesday, January 09, 2008 - 2:22 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Yankee_in_ca a private message Print Post    
You are very close to the story there Max.

Mocha
Member

08-12-2001

Wednesday, January 09, 2008 - 2:27 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mocha a private message Print Post    
Oh so you're not supposed to take the breathalizer test???

Max
Moderator

08-12-2000

Wednesday, January 09, 2008 - 2:46 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Max a private message Print Post    
WEll, the courthouse is about 3 miles from my house and the Roloff Farm is about an equal distance, too, so yeah, I'm close. :-) I'm also familiar with how some of the police around here don't much care for the hullabaloo that surrounds the Roloff Farms and the TV show and how some also like to stake out bars and try to get an easy ticket on their pad.

Anyway, here's an article in today's Oregonian with a little more detail.

From the article:

"I can't wait to give a breath sample so I can publicly humiliate you," Roloff told Deputy Allen Pastori on the ride to the Washington County Jail, according to Tuesday's testimony.

However, once there, Roloff refused to let Pastori administer the Breathalyzer. Thuemmel said it was because Roloff didn't trust the deputy.


Pastori is the arresting officer and Theummel is the defense attorney. Interesting. . .

According to local reports, the prosecution finished presenting its case this morning and the defense is on this afternoon. I'll be back later with an update. :-)

Frogichik
Member

06-11-2002

Wednesday, January 09, 2008 - 4:44 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Frogichik a private message Print Post    
"Refusing the breath test was the right thing to do. Attorney's advise to NEVER consent to these tests in the field, even though the result is an additional charge."

I work for attorneys and you NEVER EVER take a breathalyser. They say it will result in another charge, so what, if you had even one drink you are going to jail REGARDLESS. It puts the burden of proof on them. It's a lot harder when you are not giving them evidence.

NEVER NEVER BLOW, no matter what they threaten you with.

Denecee
Member

09-05-2002

Wednesday, January 09, 2008 - 5:18 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Denecee a private message Print Post    
I blew. I was guilty of driving while intoxicated. It was the most shameful event of my life. I blew a .09, pleaded guilty and was given a 2nd chance by going to several diversion classes, some AA meetings. My record only shows a diversion, not a duii. My insurance never even went up. This happened back in 1994.

No way was I going to spend a bunch of extra money getting a lawyer. If you are guilty, own up.

Mocha
Member

08-12-2001

Wednesday, January 09, 2008 - 6:01 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mocha a private message Print Post    
Ohh ok.

Max
Moderator

08-12-2000

Wednesday, January 09, 2008 - 6:01 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Max a private message Print Post    
It was the lead story on one of the local news stations just now. Matt testified on his own behalf. Closing arguments are happening now. Matt said he didn't trust the officer and he had also read articles over the years about the accuracy of breath tests for little people. He says he's shorter than Beth Amy (actually, his legs are longer than Amy's so the pedals are too high for him, so he had to put the seat back, but then had to lean forward more to use the steering wheel) and driving her car, one that he wasn't used to, and the pedals weren't comfortable for him, which is why he was driving a bit erratically.

I'll keep an eye out tonight to see if the jury deliberates and reaches a decision. It will most likely come tomorrow, though.

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Wednesday, January 09, 2008 - 7:25 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Denecee, I think in most states, the laws for DUI have been toughened up, so I'd still personally choose to NOT take the field test.

As for the nystagmus, I really wonder how that works with a four foot person being tested by a much taller person?

And in that last article, seems like his explanation that he was driving Amy's car and wasn't used to her pedal extensions might be one reason for the erratic driving. Of course they might tell him he should be more careful about which car he is driving, then, but that isn't the same as DUI.

If he had that DUI years ago, and took the diversion, it might not be on his record, but all of the jurors have clearly read about this, including apparently the misinformation that he had another DUI since then. Pretty hard to un-ring that bell :-(

From the email they sent out, and the promos, Matt does seem to want to face whatever comes from this..

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Wednesday, January 09, 2008 - 7:27 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Thanks, Max! Good local info! I think you mean Amy, right? Don't remember a Beth in their family. (LOL, well it was ONE of the Little Women names)

Max
Moderator

08-12-2000

Wednesday, January 09, 2008 - 10:39 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Max a private message Print Post    
Yep, I meant Amy. Brain fart! LOL

The jury didn't reach a decision tonight and will continue deliberating tomorrow.

Max
Moderator

08-12-2000

Thursday, January 10, 2008 - 10:52 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Max a private message Print Post    
It's always interesting to me how media coverage is handled of cases like this one. For example, the online stories and TV news stories about the trial have been fairly short and basically repeated the same information no matter which station/paper I've seen. To wit: The officer followed Matt's car leaving the bar, saw him driving erratically and pulled him over, and decided he failed the field sobriety eye test. Matt refused the breathalyzer and was arrested. Once testimony started, coverage also included that Matt was beligerant to the officer, questioning his competence, and that he refused the breathalyzer because he didn't trust the officer and doubted the test's accuracy on little people.

All well and good.

This morning, there was an article in the Oregonian that added these details, which seem rather salient to me:

"Roloff testified Wednesday that he had one beer after getting home from a 3,800-mile RV trip to Yosemite, the Grand Canyon and California that was filmed for the show. Then he met a producer to look at a Volkswagen that ws being custom rebuilt for him, and he dropped the man off in the bar parking lot because it was a central location."

The online version of the story is much shorter and does not include this information. Nor have I seen this information in any other coverage of the trial.

Hmmm. So the officer didn't see Matt coming out of the bar and then follow him, he merely saw the car coming out of the parking lot. That's not what other stories have implied, although they haven't expressly said Matt was coming out of the bar, either.

The officer testified that "Roloff's eyes were glassy and watery and that he had a 'moderate odor of alcohol' on his breath."

Well, if he'd had a beer earlier and was tired from the trip, both those things could be true without his being over the legal alcohol limit. It depends on how long it had been since he had the beer, how big the beer was (glass or pint or pitcher), and how much food he had eaten with the beer.

The question now is whether this constitutes sufficient reasonable doubt in the minds of the jurors. I guess we'll find out later today.

Rissa
Member

03-20-2006

Thursday, January 10, 2008 - 11:02 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Rissa a private message Print Post    
From what has been posted it doesn't sound like the charge will stick. This might be a teeny bit of a tangent but IMHO if he was 100% dead sober, had not had one single sip of any alcohol but was driving erratically because the peddles were positioned such that he could not control the vehicle then he should be fined for that.