In February, a Florida sheriff’s deputy stopped a woman on traffic duty in Lake Worth Beach. Kathleen Thomas, 36, was pulled over because the deputy believed she was holding a cellphone in her right hand. However, this was impossible as Ms. Thomas has no right hand.
Upon approaching her vehicle, the deputy explained the stop. Ms. Thomas then raised her right arm, displaying the absence of a phone. Captured in body camera footage, which was later shared on social media, Ms. Thomas humorously pointed out the mistake by showing her right arm again.
The incident, which quickly became viral online, prompted public scrutiny of the traffic stop. A Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office statement by spokeswoman Teri Barbera emphasized motorists can contest citations through the judicial system, where all evidence is considered. However, the statement did not clarify what occurred during the stop.
“So you want to just call this a day or …?” Ms. Thomas asked, chuckling at the situation.
The deputy, whose identity remains undisclosed, stubbornly maintained he saw a phone. The video shows him questioning, “Hand to God, you did not have your phone in your hand?” Ms. Thomas switched to using her left arm for illustration. Eventually, the deputy requested the dismissal of the citation, as noted in court records.
Following the court decision, Ms. Thomas shared another video on social media, stating the official reason for dismissal was “lack of evidence.” She remarked, “Bruh, we knew that already.”
An adaptive athlete born without part of her arm, Ms. Thomas expressed to CBS her wish for the officer to reflect and learn from the incident. She did not immediately respond to further requests for comment. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is now reviewing the deputy’s conduct.
The investigative efforts of Alain Delaquérière supported this report, and Mark Walker from The Times contributed to the story on breaking news and cultural topics.
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