A Florida deputy wrote a ticket for using a phone in her right hand. But she does not have one.

A Florida deputy wrote a ticket for using a phone in her right hand. But she does not have one.

Adaptive athlete Katie is fighting a $116 ticket after bodycam footage showed a deputy insisting he saw her holding a device in her missing hand.

Getting pulled over is always stressful. It is much worse when police accuse you of doing something you physically cannot do.

What Happened

On February 11, a Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputy pulled over Katie in Lake Worth Beach, Florida. The officer handed her a $116 ticket for using her phone while driving.

The deputy wrote that he saw her holding the phone in her right hand. But Katie is an athlete whose right arm ends just past her elbow.

Katie posted the body camera video online. In the video, she points out her arm, but the deputy still proceeds to give her the citation.

What the evidence shows

• The fine: A $116 civil fine under Florida law.
• The date: The traffic stop happened around 8:04 AM on February 11.
• The video: The clip shows the deputy asking Katie to raise her right hand to swear on it, before correcting himself.
• The plea: Katie entered a not-guilty plea during a Zoom court date on April 22.
• The views: Katie's posts about the ticket have drawn millions of views on TikTok and Instagram.

The Bigger Question

How often do minor traffic stops rely on quick, faulty claims that drivers cannot disprove? Katie had a physical fact on her side, but most drivers only have their word against an officer's.

This case raises serious concerns about how police handle clear mistakes during stops. When the error is this obvious, why does the ticket still get written?

The Other Side

Florida law bans drivers from typing on or holding wireless devices while driving. The deputy claimed he saw Katie using a device while driving northbound, and the sheriff's office could argue she was using her other hand or her lap. However, the deputy's written claim that she held it in her "right hand" is directly proven wrong by the bodycam video showing she does not have one.

This defense feels extremely weak since the officer's own written note is physically impossible.

What Happens Now

Katie took her case to trial on May 27. If the judge throws out the ticket, it will be a viral win for common sense.

For everyday drivers, this story shows the power of video in fighting unfair fines. It shows why filming traffic stops has become a vital tool for the public.

What We Still Don't Know

1. How did the judge rule during the trial on May 27?
2. Will the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office face any pushback or retrain officers because of this error?
3. Did the deputy actually see a phone, or did he make up the detail?