In a video that has since gone viral, a woman in Florida received a citation for texting while driving despite the fact that she didn’t have one of her hands. Bodycam footage shows the deputy accusing the driver for using a cell phone in her right hand several times when it’s clear that she doesn’t have one to begin with. An internal investigation later found that the deputy was indeed wrong for giving out the citation, but only received a “verbal reprimand” for his actions. So in a bit of irony, he got away with a slap on the wrist.
Commenters find deputy’s punishment to be rather light
On February 11, deputy Yosvani Quesada of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) pulled over Kathleen Thomas on North Dixie Highway in Lake Worth Beach for allegedly texting while driving, according to CBS 12.
Bodycam footage of the incident, which has been liked more than 4 million times on TikTok, shows the cop walking up to the Thomas’ vehicle and saying that he stopped her for supposedly passing him while distracted by using a cell phone in her right hand. She holds up her right arm, showing the deputy that this is clearly impossible.
But instead of admitting that he was wrong, the cop continues to argue with the driver. The situation escalates and the deputy ultimately gives Thomas a $116 ticket.
The incident was reviewed by PBSO Internal Affairs, which decided to give Quesada a verbal reprimand for his conduct. The report reads: “Deputy Sheriff Yosvani Quesada misunderstood the legal elements necessary to establish a violation of wireless communication, device hand held while driving-first offense.”
The PBSO was asked to comment on the report and said: “In this case, the actions of Deputy Yosvani Quesada was identified, thoroughly investigated, and determined to be clear violations of our agency policies and procedures resulting in a verbal reprimand.”
However, commenters to the story were surprised by the department’s lack of discipline for the deputy. One wrote, “So, why only a reprimand? He clearly observed that the driver had no right hand and still reported she held a mobile phone right hand.. An intentional lie…”
“To many people, this doesn’t look like meaningful accountability,” another user commented. “It looks more like an effort to reassure the public that something was done, while imposing very little actual discipline – a talking to.”
