In a bizarre turn of events, a Florida law enforcement officer issued a traffic ticket to a woman accused of holding her phone with a hand she does not possess. The incident unfolded on February 11, when 36-year-old Kathleen Thomas was stopped by a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputy. This took place at approximately 8:04 a.m. on North Dixie Highway in Lake Worth Beach, which is situated about an hour’s drive north of Miami.
The encounter, which was captured on the officer’s bodycam, showcased a moment that was both astonishing and somewhat humorous. The officer claimed to have seen Thomas driving past while ‘holding the phone with your right hand, manipulating that phone.’
In response, Thomas revealed her right arm, which ends in a stump, to demonstrate the impossibility of the officer’s assertion. Her reaction was one of disbelief and amusement as she began to laugh heartily at the situation.
“Obviously not,” Thomas said through her laughter, suggesting, “So you want to just call this a day or?” Despite her clear evidence to the contrary, the officer remained firm, seemingly unconvinced by her explanation.
Thomas continued to assert that it was impossible for her to have been holding a phone with her right hand, highlighting the implausibility of the officer’s claim. The incident underscores the occasional unpredictable nature of routine traffic stops.
However, the officer did not budge as Thomas insisted that he could not have seen her holding a phone with her right hand.
He then bizarrely asked her to put a ‘hand to God’ and repeat that she had not been texting while driving.
‘The other hand to God,’ the officer responded when Thomas lifted up her stump.
Kathleen Thomas, 36, was pulled over on February 11 around 8.04am along North Dixie Highway in Lake Worth Beach and accused of holding her phone in her right hand
However, Thomas does not have a right hand, as she promptly showed the police officer who stopped her
Thomas then raised her other hand before the officer asked her for her license and registration.
The citation listed Thomas’ charge as ‘Wireless Comm. Device/Handheld While Driving – First Offense’ with a civil penalty of $116, according to CBS 12.
In an Instagram video uploaded to a now–seemingly deleted personal account, Thomas said she was getting ready for court this week and had been sent the body camera footage.
Thomas added that she had entered a not guilty plea remotely, according to Complex.
However, Thomas ended up not having to appear in court.
Records showed her citation was dismissed at the request of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputy who issued it.
The scheduled court hearing was canceled when the unusual case was dropped.
Thomas was cited for her first offense and given a $116 ticket which she was going to appeal until her citation was dismissed at the request of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputy who issued it
The unusual incident happened in Lake Worth Beach, about one hour north of Miami
Florida’s Wireless Communications While Driving Law makes texting while driving a primary offense, which means that drivers can be pulled over just for that violation.
Drivers cannot manually type or enter multiple letters, numbers, symbols or other characters into devices, according to state law.
That includes texting, e–mailing and instant messaging.
However, the law includes several exceptions, as drivers can use devices for navigation, GPS, safety and emergency purposes.
Still, that means that merely holding a phone is not illegal under current Florida law.
‘Whether she’s holding it in her right hand or her left hand, it really doesn’t matter,’ traffic attorney Ted Hollander told CBS 12. ‘If you are not in a school zone or a construction zone, you are allowed to hold a cell phone.’
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office for comment.
