Charges have been dropped against a Florida woman who gained widespread attention after being accused of holding her mobile phone in her right hand while driving—despite not having a right hand. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office initially issued a traffic citation to Kathleen Thomas, 36, following a traffic stop on February 11. Bodycam footage of the incident, which Thomas later shared on TikTok, shows the officer insisting he saw her holding a phone in her right hand as she drove along North Dixie Highway.
Incident Details
Thomas, a fitness content creator known online as Slightlyoff.balance, was born with a limb difference. In the video, the officer approaches her vehicle and claims she drove past while holding her phone in her right hand. In response, Thomas raises her right arm to reveal the absence of a hand, laughing and saying, "So, obviously not." She then quips, "So you wanna just call this a day?"
Despite her demonstration, the officer persists, asking, "Hand to God, you did not have your phone in your hand?" Thomas lifts her right arm again. The officer awkwardly rephrases, "The other hand to God, you did not have your phone in your hand," prompting her to raise her left hand. Nevertheless, Thomas was issued a citation for "Wireless Comm. Device/Handheld While Driving - First Offense," carrying a civil penalty of $116, according to CBS 12.
Legal Outcome
Florida law has prohibited handheld phone use while driving since 2013, with texting while driving becoming a primary offense in 2019. Social media users encouraged Thomas to contest the ticket. She pleaded not guilty in court last month and was scheduled to appear again on Tuesday. However, the case was dismissed the day before after Thomas received the bodycam footage and posted it online. The officer who issued the citation dismissed the case over the holiday weekend, citing a lack of evidence, Thomas confirmed in a video.
The Independent has contacted Thomas and the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office for comment. The dismissal marks a victory for Thomas, who used her platform to highlight the incident and advocate for awareness of limb differences.
