A DRIVER was left stunned when they were slapped with a traffic ticket – despite being stationed in the army overseas.
However, the disturbing truth was quickly realised – leading to the arrest of a police officer.
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According to NBC Miami, Miami Police officer Zamir Vargas Valerio is facing legal charges after he allegedly created a fake traffic ticket for his ex-girlfriend.
The ticket was initially found by the victim’s mother, who believed it was a mistake.
She proceeded to contact the Miami-Dade Clerk of Courts, who confirmed the ticket was valid.
From there, she decided to contact the City of Miami Police Department, whose Internal Affairs Division then conducted a further investigation into the matter.
They soon uncovered how Valerio seemingly used the computer access password of another officer to issue the false traffic citation, according to a Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office statement.
State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said: “Officer Valerio allegedly used criminal justice resources of a major police department in what may be seen as an attempt to reconnect with a former girlfriend.
“This is not only beyond normal comprehension, but it is also a violation of the law.”
Valerio has been arrested, with his bond set at $10,000.
His charges include official misconduct and offenses related to misuse of computers, both felonies.
“The actions of one individual do not reflect the values and dedication of the vast majority of the men and women who serve this city honorably every day,” said City of Miami Police Chief Manuel A. Morales.
“Therefore, we must act decisively when any officer betrays the badge and the public’s trust.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to maintaining the public’s confidence and ensuring that the Miami Police Department reflects the very best of public service.”
Vargas Valerio has previous, having been arrested and charged in August 2022 with allegedly strangling a woman in front of her child.
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Elsewhere, a driver is being charged $125 a day as part of a fierce battle to get her stolen car back from a towing company.
Misty Paez of Springfield, Missouri, had her car taken from her home just weeks after her family moved to the city.
According to a report by KY3, the family noticed their car was missing from the driveway one morning and instantly filed a police report with the Springfield Police Department.
Thankfully, police were able to find the car – a 2003 Ford Excursion – just a day later in Strafford, located just a block away from the police station.
They contacted the family soon after and told them they needed to contact the Strafford Police to receive the location.
Paez later found out that her car had been towed by Brines Towing Service.
Keen to collect the car as soon as possible, she called them to discuss the bill – and was left stunned by their response.
How to spot a fake parking ticket
Thieves sometimes go to great lengths to squeeze money from drivers
With parking ticket scams on the rise, it’s important to know how to tell the difference between a bogus ticket and a legitimate one.
Many parking enforcement agencies, like those employed by cities, will never ask people to pay for their tickets via apps like Venmo, PayPal, or Zelle.
A QR code should always make drivers cautious, as many times they lead to fake payment websites built by scammers to access banking or personal information.
It’s also wise to pay close attention to logos, as some scammers will even use fake logos close enough to a city’s official logo fooling those who don’t look closely.
Emails or text messages regarding parking citations should always be ignored, as most parking enforcement agencies will never use those mediums to collect a debt.
Other helpful tips for spotting false citations:
- Do some research on the lot you’re parking in, as signs are legally required to be posted to inform drivers on who is enforcing parking rules.
- Carefully examine the citation for any flaws – misspellings, incorrect logos, links, QR codes, etc.
- Evaluate the contact information on the ticket. Websites that belong to cities will always end in either .gov.
- Finally, pay with a card, as disputing an illegal charge is easier. Avoid mailing checks or cash to a suspect parking ticket.
- Look at a city’s ticketing database to double-check that you’ve been cited by an official.
Source: CBS affiliate WHNT
