NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) – A North Texas woman was handcuffed, stripped down and booked into jail – all because of an overdue traffic ticket.
It was just a ticket. Sarah Boaz was cited in August after an officer said she ran a stop sign.
Boaz lost the ticket, but said she knows it was wrong not to have paid it right away. Despite those missteps, she also says she never expected a late fee or penalty to land her in jail.
It happens in every city, every day, at just about every intersection. Drivers roll past stop signs, and through stoplights. But getting caught, and getting a ticket, is nothing compared to what Boaz got.
“I guess it was just frustrating to me, that a bill that I pay a month late, I end up in jail for,” she said.
Boaz’ expected trip to work Wednesday morning never happened. Because of her unpaid ticket, the Richland Hills City Marshal was waiting at her house with a warrant for her arrest. “I’m like, nobody puts out a bench warrant after 60 days. Why would you do that? You wouldn’t do that.”
Even when Boaz arrived at the jail, in handcuffs, she still didn’t think it was real. Then a female officer started giving her instructions. She remembered the officer saying, “’I’m going to need you to undress. I’m going to need you to stand against the wall. Please don’t step in front of this white box, or I’ll take that’… aggressive toward me. Obviously I am going to jail.”
CBS 11 News learned a strip search is standard procedure for anyone brought to the jail in North Richland Hills.
Richland Hills is small enough that it only has one marshal. Warrants for unpaid tickets don’t sit around for months, like they might in larger cities.
Attorney Jason Smith told CBS 11 News though, there’s nothing requiring the city to put people in jail. “The constitution doesn’t keep the government or government officials from using common sense. Unfortunately, some police officers, some governments get overly aggressive because they want that ticket revenue.”
Municipal court officials said two reminders were sent to Boaz, which she says she never got.
A footnote – on Thursday, Boaz’ husband was issued a ticket for not stopping at a stop sign.
Read more here: http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2013/10/24/woman-endures-strip-search-jail-time-for-overdue-ticket/
This is on purpose. It is systematic and it is nation wide.
They are not going to stop. No amount of rallying, no amount of complaining, no amount of singing Kumbaya and holding hands is going to make them stop.
Agreed. Gandhi don’t live here no more.
SVC Tennessean you are so right.I hear most of the host on alternative radio all saying that peaceful resistance is the only way,the only way to what,to allow them to continue the pillaging of the nation and the few remaining freedoms we have? They can call,vote,scream,complain,stand on overpasses with signs,pray,petition,and pass out all the flyers that they can get there hands on and not a thing is going to change for the better for the average citizen. There is only one thing that will ever change this mess and it isn’t sticking flowers in the gun barrels and armored vehicles.All else is only a waste of time and wishful thinking,Hope springs eternal in the minds of some,but wishing and hoping don’t make it so!