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Florida Deputy Drops Citation Issued to Driver Without Right Hand

A Palm Beach County deputy cited a driver for holding a phone in a hand she does not have. The deputy later requested dismissal of the citation for insufficient evidence.

DA
1 source·May 28, 11:17 PM(18 hrs ago)·1m read
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Florida Deputy Drops Citation Issued to Driver Without Right Handnypost.com
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A Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy issued a citation on February 11 to Kathleen Thomas for holding a phone while driving along North Dixie Highway in Lake Worth Beach. Thomas, who has no right hand, recorded the stop and posted the video on TikTok.

Post via X — linked by one of this story's sources.

A scheduled hearing for the following day was canceled. Attorney Ted Hollander told CBS12 that Florida’s wireless device statute prohibits typing or entering data, not simply holding a phone, outside school zones and active work zones. Hollander said the citation would have been questionable regardless of whether Thomas had a right hand.

Thomas, an adaptive athlete with more than 350,000 TikTok followers, is scheduled to appear on CBS Mornings on May 30. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to a request for comment.

Key Facts

February 11 citation
issued along North Dixie Highway in Lake Worth Beach
May 27 dismissal request
made by deputy citing insufficient evidence
Florida statute
prohibits typing, not holding phone, outside school zones

Story Timeline

3 events
  1. February 11, 2026

    Deputy issued citation to Thomas along North Dixie Highway.

    1 source@DailyCaller
  2. May 27, 2026

    Deputy requested dismissal citing insufficient evidence.

    1 source@DailyCaller
  3. May 28, 2026

    Thomas posted reaction video on TikTok.

    1 source@DailyCaller

Potential Impact

  1. 01

    The canceled hearing avoids further court proceedings on the citation.

  2. 02

    Thomas’s scheduled CBS Mornings appearance may increase public attention to the incident.

Transparency Panel

Sources cross-referenced1
Confidence score65%
Synthesized bySubstrate AI
Word count130 words
PublishedMay 28, 2026, 11:17 PM
Bias signals removed2 across 1 outlet
Signal Breakdown
Loaded 1Framing 1

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