Woman faces court for unpaid parking after failed payment attempt
- Beda Koorey has not driven or owned a car for four years, yet continues to receive traffic tickets attributed to her.
- The novelty Star Trek license plates she previously owned have been replicated and used fraudulently by others, leading to her receiving numerous tickets.
- Despite attempts to resolve the situation, Koorey faces ongoing stress and financial burden due to the tickets, highlighting gaps in enforcement and accountability.
In Huntington, New York, Beda Koorey, a retiree, has been facing an overwhelming number of traffic tickets from various locations across the United States, including speeding violations from Chicago, despite having ceased all driving four years ago. In 2020, she sold her car and surrendered her license plates, which were custom-made to commemorate her love for Star Trek, bearing the number NCC-1701. Unfortunately, this has led to a disturbing situation where illegal replicates of her old novelty plates have been made and used by other drivers, which has resulted in tickets being sent to her home. As a result of these fraudulent tickets, Koorey has received bills accumulating to tens of thousands of dollars. The New York Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has confirmed that the tickets issued are not connected to her current status since she no longer possesses any vehicle. The agency has noted that while Koorey is a victim of this situation, the enforcement agency must handle the matter, emphasizing that enforcing penalties falls under the jurisdiction of law enforcement. Despite her lack of responsibility for these violations, she continues to receive summonses that she must personally respond to. Compounding her frustration, Koorey, who experiences hearing and sight difficulties, has stated that she struggles to cope with the stress of dealing with these incessant notices and the need for her to document responses due to the sheer number of tickets being issued under her name. For her, the toll of managing this ordeal has significantly impacted her peace of mind, as the tickets don't just stretch across New York but extend to states like Ohio, where she has even received phone calls from law enforcement agencies inquiring about offenses in connection to her old plate. In Koorey’s case, a combination of fraudulent use of novelty plates, a lack of enforcement measures to prevent such occurrences, and the disconnect between DMV communications and local law enforcement exacerbates the situation for innocent individuals like her. Koorey’s ongoing battle highlights a severe flaw in the legal system’s handling of license plate misuse, leaving her feeling helpless as she fights against tickets that hold no validity. Furthermore, this situation serves as a concerning reminder of how easily individuals can exploit weaknesses in regulation that can lead to illegal activities impacting unsuspecting citizens.