May 27, 2026 — A one-armed woman in Florida was pulled over by police for allegedly using her phone while driving, before the incident concluded awkwardly when the officer requested to dismiss the citation due to “lack of evidence.”
Kathleen Thomas, 36, was stopped by a Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputy in February on North Dixie Highway under suspicion of distracted driving.
According to the body camera video released by CBS News, the officer stated he saw Thomas “holding a phone with her right hand” and “manipulating the phone” while driving.
However, Thomas immediately extended her right arm forward — where only a stump remained instead of a hand.
“I clearly wasn't doing that,” Thomas said, laughing. “Shall we just end this here?”
Nevertheless, the officer continued to insist he saw “a hand raised.”
Thomas repeatedly explained that she doesn't have a right hand, making that impossible.
In the video, the officer even asked Thomas to “swear to God” that she wasn't using her phone while driving.
“I swear to God,” Thomas replied, raising her right arm.
“The other hand,” the officer awkwardly reiterated.
Afterward, Thomas was still issued a citation for violating Florida's law on using wireless communication devices while driving in Florida, carrying a $116 fine for a first offense.
Thomas decided to appeal. However, the hearing scheduled for Wednesday was canceled after the officer himself requested to dismiss the case due to “lack of evidence,” according to information Thomas shared on TikTok.
“Dude, everyone knows that,” Thomas quipped sarcastically after the case was dismissed.
