Now that the bodycam from the infamous traffic stop of former New York Times reporter Dianna Russini has emerged, the local authorities who pulled who didn’t issue her a ticket have chimed in.
On Monday night, Chief Forest Ross Lyons of the Ridgewood, New Jersey, Police Department issued the following statement:
“On January 19, 2026, at 9:40 am, a Ridgewood police officer conducted a motor vehicle stop on Godwin Avenue involving Ms. Dianna Russini for the use of a handheld cell phone while driving.
“After following department protocol during the stop, and reviewing Ms. Russini’s driving history, the officer exercised his professional discretion and issued a verbal warning to Ms. Russini.
“The use of officer discretion in determining whether to issue a warning or a citation is consistent with Ridgewood Police Department policy and longstanding practice. Police officers are encouraged to use their judgment and, when appropriate, provide motorists with warnings as part of the Department’s commitment to fair, impartial and community-oriented policing.”
The bodycam shows that, contrary to the story Russini later told, she didn’t FaceTime an NFL head coach for help in avoiding a ticket. Instead, she name-dropped former Giants coach Brian Daboll and Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell as she explained why she was on her phone while driving.
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