Wrongly accused and arrested
I am a 64 year old disabled US Air Force veteran. My father was stationed in Columbus Georgia at Ft. Benning at the beginning of his military career. I grew up here. I went to Ft. Benning to watch the fireworks on July 4th and was directed by a parking attendant to hop a curb (I'm driving a caddy) and park where other people were parking. The military police came running over telling me I cannot park there. I told him the guy in the golf cart directed me to park here. He said ok and I went to watch the fireworks. When I started to leave I asked two military police if I could exit at the closest roadway because it was dark, I am old and don't see the best at night (I wear glasses) and I didn't want to drive over another curb. They said ok and started walking towards a barrier they had in place. As I started to leave something was making a loud scraping sound so I stopped the vehicle. There was a very large branch stuck in my rear axle and sticking out of my left wheel well. I could not pull it out so I climbed under the car and started breaking off pieces until I could get the whole branch out. Once it was removed I got back into my vehicle to leave and this SUV with the police lights flashing came flying up in front of me and blocked my exit. I got out of my car to greet the officer. He told me to get back into my vehicle and wanted me to drive down a sidewalk, where people were walking, in the dark with no street lights in my black car about 100 yards to the next intersection. I asked him if he could please just let me out there because I was literally 25 feet from the roadway. He told me that if I didn't do what he said he was going to arrest me. I asked him why would he arrest me when I have not committed any crime. He knocked my water jug out of my hand and handcuffed me. I was arrested, taken to their processing area and later released with 3 pending charges against me. They charged me with Obstruction of justice, driving off of the roadway and failure to obey a lawful order. I had a witness who was sitting in my vehicle who watched the entire thing. Now I have a court date coming on Sept. 17th. I have called lawyers who specialize in military law and they want $500 just to consult with me. I am on a very limited income and have no idea how to defend myself from these fake, false charges. It's there any help out there for me???