City of Chicago forces suburban couple to pay red light violation that isn’t theirs
by: Kelly Davis
CHICAGO — A suburban couple says the City of Chicago is coercing them into paying a red light ticket for a car that isn’t theirs.
Barrington residents Steve Stallings and his wife, Celeste, received a $100 red light violation in the mail four months ago, but the catch is that the car on camera isn’t theirs, and the camera misread the plate.
“It’s clearly not ours,” Scalling said. “We weren’t there or nothing. It’s got a Kansas City Chiefs decal on it and we wouldn’t own one of those.”
The couple appealed the violation, but a judge ruled against them. After that, they sent the Department of Finance proof the car and plate isn’t theirs through the mail, but it was also refused and sent back.
“We’re completely innocent, yet they want us to jump through hoops,” Scalling said.
Where it stands today, the fine has doubled and gone to collections.
“We’ve proven to them that this was not the license plate, yet nobody’s responding,” Celeste Galizia said. “But this case should be closed, and we should not have to pay the fine.”
WGN reached out to the City’s Department of Finance for comment, who said they would look into this. They have not followed up since.
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