A Florida sheriff's deputy is under scrutiny after body camera footage showed him ticketing a woman for allegedly using a phone while driving, despite her informing him that her right arm ends at the elbow. The incident occurred in Lake Worth Beach, Florida, in February when 36-year-old Kathleen Thomas was pulled over by a Palm Beach County sheriff's deputy. The officer insisted that she was holding a cellphone in her right hand.
In the released footage, Thomas demonstrated her arm's condition, prompting laughter and confusion during the exchange. The deputy continued to assert that he saw a phone, even asking her to swear on it. The interaction gained significant attention online, leading to millions of views on social media platforms.
According to Terri Barbera, Public Information Officer for the Palm Beach Sheriff's Department, the citation issued to Thomas was ultimately dismissed after reviewing the circumstances and the relevant Florida State Statutes. Barbera emphasized that officers must make decisions based on real-time observations and that motorists have the right to contest citations through the judicial process.