Palm Beach County, Florida — A Florida traffic stop has gone viral after a deputy accused a disabled woman of illegally using her cellphone while driving — despite the fact that she only has one hand.
The unusual encounter, captured on police body camera footage, ended with the citation eventually being dismissed due to what authorities described as a “lack of evidence.”
Deputy Claims Driver Was Holding Cellphone
According to reports, 36-year-old Kathleen Thomas was pulled over in February by a deputy with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
The officer believed Thomas was distracted while driving along North Dixie Highway, claiming he saw her holding and manipulating a cellphone with her right hand as she drove past him.
Body camera footage later obtained by CBS News showed the deputy confronting Thomas about the alleged violation.
The officer reportedly told her he observed her “holding the phone with your right hand” and “manipulating that phone” while operating the vehicle.
Woman Reveals She Does Not Have Right Hand
Thomas immediately responded by showing the deputy her right arm, which ends below the wrist.
“So I’m obviously not,” she laughed. “So you wanna just call this a day?”
Despite the obvious contradiction, the deputy reportedly continued insisting he had seen her with a raised hand while driving.
“I don’t want to ‘call it a day,’” the officer responded. “You had a hand up.”
Thomas repeatedly explained that the officer could not have seen her right hand because she does not have one.
The interaction grew even more awkward when the deputy asked her to swear she had not been using her phone.
Awkward Exchange Captured on Camera
During the exchange, the deputy reportedly asked Thomas to put a “hand to God” that she had not been using the device.
“Hand to God,” Thomas replied while raising her right arm.
The officer then awkwardly responded:
“The other hand to God.”
The body camera footage quickly spread online after details of the stop became public, with many viewers criticizing the deputy’s handling of the situation.
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Citation Later Dismissed
Despite the confusion during the stop, the deputy still issued Thomas a citation for allegedly violating Florida’s law regarding wireless communication devices while driving.
The citation reportedly carried a $116 penalty and marked Thomas’ first offense.
Thomas later challenged the ticket in court, arguing the accusation made no sense given her disability.
A scheduled hearing was eventually canceled after the deputy involved requested the citation be dismissed because of “lack of evidence.”
Thomas later reacted to the dismissal on TikTok.
“Bro, we knew that already,” she said.
Viral Incident Sparks Online Reactions
The bizarre traffic stop quickly gained widespread attention online, with many social media users expressing disbelief over the deputy’s insistence even after realizing Thomas was missing a hand.
Others praised Thomas for remaining calm and humorous throughout the encounter despite the frustrating situation.
The case has also sparked broader conversations online about assumptions made during traffic stops and the importance of officers carefully assessing situations before issuing citations.
What do you think about this unusual traffic stop? Share your thoughts respectfully in the comments below.
