On February 11, 2026 in Lake Worth Beach, Florida, Kathleen Thomas was stopped during a traffic check. A Palm Beach County sheriff's deputy accused her of using her cell phone while driving and claimed he saw her holding the device in her right hand. However, one detail posed a problem: the young woman was born without a right arm.

Despite her explanations and the fact that she showed the officer her amputated arm, upheld his charge and fined her $116 for using a cell phone while driving. The scene, which was filmed by the officer's body camera, it led to a rather strange dialogue.

In the coming months, Kathleen Thomas challenged the summons in court. A hearing was scheduled for late May 2026, but the case was eventually dropped at the police officer's own request due to 'lack of evidence'. On May 27, 2026, the charges were officially dropped and the fine cancelled.