A Florida woman who was ticketed for allegedly holding a cellphone in her right hand while driving, despite not having a right hand, has had the citation dismissed months after the unusual traffic stop went viral.
Citation Dismissed
According to Palm Beach County court records, the citation was dismissed Tuesday at the request of the sheriff's office due to "insufficient evidence."
Viral Incident
The case gained widespread attention after Katie Thomas shared video of the February traffic stop on social media. Body camera footage obtained shows a Palm Beach County Sheriff's Deputy telling Thomas, "You drove past me holding the phone with your right hand, manipulating that phone." Thomas then holds up her right arm, revealing she doesn't have her right hand. She laughs and says, "Obviously not." She then adds, "So you want to just call this a day?"
Deputy's Response
The deputy says he thought he saw her holding the phone in her right hand. Despite her denials, Thomas was issued a $116 traffic citation for texting while driving.
Sheriff's Office Statement
In a statement, the sheriff's office said the deputy initiated the traffic stop "based upon his visual observation at the time of the incident," and that the decision to dismiss the case came after "additional review of the Florida State Statutes involved and based upon the totality of the circumstances." The statement added, "Law enforcement officers are required to make decisions based on observations made in real time. As with any enforcement action, motorists have the right to contest citations through the judicial process, where all facts and evidence can be fully evaluated."
