One of five police officers in the small Tooele County town of Stockton has been suspended after he issued the mayor's son a ticket for driving without a license.

Stockton Police Cpl. Josh Rowell said he initially was fired by Stockton Mayor Dan Rydalch following an Oct. 20 traffic stop involving Rydalch's son but was later informed that he was being suspended instead.

"From what I understand, (Rydalch's) whole purpose is that I was rude to his son," Rowell told the Deseret News Monday.

The traffic stop that sparked the suspension came during a DUI checkpoint in the community. Rowell said he was informed that a car had entered the checkpoint's designated perimeter and then turned onto a residential street in an apparent attempt to avoid being stopped. Rowell located a car that matched the vehicle's description and pulled it over.

"It was just a routine traffic stop," he said.

Rowell said Jared Rydalch, 29, produced proof of insurance and registration but did not have a driver's license in his possession. The officer issued the man a citation for the driver's license violation, which carries a possible fine of $40.

Before pulling away from the stop, Rowell said Jared Rydalch told him he was searching for a missing dog and planned to continue driving around the neighborhood.

"He said, 'Tell all your other cop buddies not to pull me over,' " Rowell said. "I told him, 'If I see you driving around again, I'll pull you over again.'

"I had no idea he was the mayor's son until I handed the court copy of the ticket — the one the violator signs — in to the court clerk," Rowell added.

About 30 minutes after the stop, Rowell said he went looking for Stockton Police Chief Heinz Kopp and found him sitting with Dan Rydalch in the mayor's pickup truck. He approached the truck and said the mayor ordered him to get in and ordered the chief to get out. Rowell said he refused to get in the truck.

"He said, 'Then you're fired. I want your badge on my desk in the morning,' " Rowell said.

Kopp informed Rowell about 30 minutes later that the mayor had rescinded his termination and suspended him instead.

Rowell joined the Stockton Police Department in January. He works part time with the agency, putting in about 50 hours a month and overseeing its reserve officer corps.

Kopp said he supports Rowell "100 percent" but declined to comment any further on the incident because it is still under investigation.

The mayor did not return a call to his cell phone Monday or an e-mail seeking comment on his decision to suspend Rowell.

Rowell said he hasn't been told who is responsible for investigating his conduct during the traffic stop. A closed-door hearing on the incident is scheduled for Thursday at the Stockton Town Hall, he said, and that hearing will be followed by a public hearing before the Town Council.

e-mail: gliesik@desnews.com

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