Florida cop pulls over disabled, one-handed woman for holding cellphone while driving — but drops charges over ‘lack of evidence’
A Florida woman was pulled over by police for allegedly using her cellphone while driving, but the officer was surprised to discover she only had one hand. Kathleen Thomas challenged the citation, which was ultimately dismissed due to a lack of evidence. The incident highlights issues surrounding traffic enforcement and the assumptions made by law enforcement officers.
- ▪Kathleen Thomas was stopped by a Palm Beach County officer for suspected distracted driving.
- ▪The officer claimed to see her holding a phone with her right hand, but Thomas pointed out that she does not have a right hand.
- ▪The citation was dismissed in court due to a lack of evidence after Thomas challenged it.
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US News Florida cop pulls over disabled, one-handed woman for holding cellphone while driving — but drops charges over ‘lack of evidence’ By Caitlin McCormack Published May 27, 2026, 11:53 p.m. ET See more of our coverage in your search results. Add The New York Post on Google A Florida cop pulled over what he thought was a distracted driver using her cellphone while she whizzed past him — but was floored when he learned she only had one hand. Kathleen Thomas, 36, was pulled over by an officer with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office in February on suspicion of distracted driving. 4 Kathleen Thomas, 36, was pulled over for holding her phone while driving.
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