East Hants woman recalls scary plate-shaming
incident in Nine Mile River
NINE MILE RIVER: Sarah Rutherford and her sister were going about their day on Nov. 27. The two had been out driving around and the day had been rather tame and scare-free.
The two stopped at the Cup of Soul in Elmsdale to grab some lunch for their families before heading to her sister’s home in Enfield. That’s when the calm day took a turn.
Rutherford’s car has license plates from Massachusetts, where her family had lived before beginning their move home to N.S. in April. They had decided to move long before COVID19. Her husband has yet to join them in Canada because of immigration slowdown due to COVID19.
“My kids had to leave the only home and community they knew, and not say goodbye,” said Rutherford. “We then isolated in Great Village for 14 days the same week as the mass shooting in Portapique.
“We have followed the rules and continue to do so.”
As Rutherford drove her Massachusetts-plated vehicle past the Elmsdale Superstore she looked in her mirror and saw someone in a black Ford truck was tailing her quite closely. Rutherford said the other car continued to follow them becoming increasingly aggressive.
“I turned left onto Hwy. 14 and he followed. I pulled onto a side road to head down the Enfield road – he followed (closer, faster and now video taping me with his phone),” recalled Rutherford. “I pulled over with hopes he would drive on his way and he pulled up awfully close to my car (pinned between him and the ditch) and rolled his window down.
“So, I rolled mine down. I was very confused. He was holding his phone recording the whole event. He asked me if I had quarantined and told me to go back to my country. I engaged – with hopes of the whole thing ending.”
She said she told him she was from N.S. and a resident, and that truthfully it was non of his business.
“He aggressively told me it was his business, and it was his country and circled back to his tirade about COVID19 and the states. He said I didn’t answer his question so I must be breaking rules out of quarantine.”
Rutherford said she asked him to leave so they could continue their way. According to Rutherford, the mans said it was his country and he wasn’t doing anything he didn’t want to.
“I told him I was calling the cops. He said great. He continued to harass my sister and I.”
She called East Hants RCMP in Enfield and was given advice to roll up their windows and lock their doors. The woman on the phone from the detachment asked if they could drive away. At this point though the man had backed up and sat behind them like cops do.
“I didn’t want to leave because I didn’t want him to follow me home,” said Rutherford.
Rutherford, who has a history of trauma from a previous abuse, said she felt this incident triggered her and left her feeling emotional.
“The whole thing felt unreal. This is my home. I grew up here. I went to school here,” she said. “Now I was coming home, so my kids could grow up here. We left the states for many reasons, but one big reason was quality of life.”
She said at the advice of the police, she flipped around the loop, and came up behind him, so she could get his plate. At that point he drove away very quickly, said Rutherford.
When contacted by The Laker News on Nov. 28, S/Sgt. Cory Bushell confirmed that the police did receive a complaint regarding the matter. Rutherford said she was also told that the man called into the police as well.
S/Sgt. Bushell said the driver of the Ford was warned by police. The investigator determined there were no grounds to support criminal charges.
For Rutherford, the charges sticking isn’t what matters — it is the principle. She also said it has left her feeling nervous to drive.
“I want to set a boundary. I want this man to know he cannot threaten and intimidate people,” she said. “I want him to know there are consequences for his actions.”
She also had a message for others who may see plates that re from out of province or out of country.
“I want people to know that fear and public policing is not the answer,” she said.
Since posting about the incident on Facebook, Rutherford said the response has been surprising and amazing.
“It feels good to know that this angry person does not represent the community,” said Rutherford. “We feel welcomed and surrounded.”
