Evening star., 1952-08-02
Dip|omaticAides
Believed Liable
As Cab Drivers
Donohue Fuvors
Denying Licenses
If Immunity Holds

u immunity noIdS
District Commissioner F. Joseph
Donohue today took the view that
an embassy employe is not entitled
to diplomatic immunity from ar.
rest while driving a cab.
If the State Department dis
agree with him and could cite
authorities. he added, he would
favor denying hackers license
to any one on the diplomatic list.
The question came up with
disclosure that an embassy chauf-
feur claiming diplomatic i'm
Inunity in a Prince Georges
County speeding case holds a
District hackers license.
Car Had No ''DIP" Tags.
The chauffeur is Walter c..
Hook. jr., 80. who has been a
driver for the Saudi Arabian EN-
basSy for seven years. MIR. Hook
wa sarrested early Thursday
morning after a Toto 90 mile
an-hour chase on Route / between
College Park and Laurel. Md. He
was driving 1852 Cadillac that
did not bear diplomatic tags.
Mr.. Hook claimed diplomatic
immunity from a speeding arrest
and the State Department backed
him. States Attorney Carlyle j.
Lancaster said he would prosecute
the charge unless he had tangible
proof" of MIR. Hooks right to i'm
munity.
Mr.. Lancaster said he has di-
rected 1t. Charles N. Thomson, a
county officer assigned to his Of
flee, to check with the State De-
partment on Mt. Hooks immunity. i.
He added that he probably would
have to drop the charge if it is
shown Mr.. Hook is entitled to
immunity. The hearing has been
set for August 18.
d. G. Inquiry Begun.
The Prince Georges case
prodded the District into exam
lining Mr.. Hooks District traffic
record and his status as hacker.
Capt. Marshall r. Gore, COM
manding officer of the traffic di-
! vision, said he was making an
investigation and would report
with recommendations to Police
Chief Robert v. Murray.
Inspector Robert D. Chenault,
acting superintendent, said Mr..
Hooks application for a hackers
license, filed in 1949. showed he
was employed by an embassy.
He added that if the
licensing authorities were aware
a hacker could claim diplomatic
immunity, there was nothing now
in the regulations to prevent CIV
ing him license.
In his brushes with traffic po-
licemen through the years, Mr..
Hook apparently has not claimed
diplomatic immunity as a hacker,
but has claimed it while driving
an Embassy vehicle.
Traffic Record Listed.
Police records show the follow
ing traffic history:
In 1942-before MIR. Hook was
an Embassy employe or a hacker
he elected to forfeit So On a
parking charge and his license
was suspended twice on speed
charges. In the first of these
speeding cases, he elected to for
felt collateral. The second case
was dismissed.
In 1947, he was charged with a
parking offense. but no disposition
was shown.
In 1948. he was arrested for
speeding and the ticket was can
celled. In 1948, a parking ticket
was cancelled. In 1948, he was
charged with passing a stop sign,
but the record did not show dis
position. Police said the other
tickets presumably were cancelled
because of his diplomatic i'm
munity.
In 1851, he elected to forfeit SO
on parking charge and gave his
occupation as hacker. (Occupa-
tlons were not listed in statistical
traffic records before 1950.)
On January 9, 1852, while driv-
Ing a diplomatic car, he was struck
by a car making wide right turn.
No charge of improper driving
was placed against him.
Collided With Auto.
On March Is, 1852, while driv-
ing a 1949 Plymouth sedan with
hackers tags, he collided with an
other car. He gave his occupation
as a self-employed cab driver. and
forfeited $25 collateral. Traffic
records list two charges against
hlm-failing to give right of way
and violating one-way street regu-
lations. The Accident Investiga-
ton Unit, however, lists only the
former charge.
On April 4, his license was re-
voked. but he was not served with
notice of the revocation until April
10. Meanwhile, on April z, he was
in another accident, where he
Listed his occupation as hacker.
He forfeited $40 collateral on a
charge of no U-turn violation.
He Immediately appealed the
loss of his license and the Board
of Revocation and Restoration re-
stored his license July l after piv-