In a peculiar incident in Lake Worth, Florida, a woman was pulled over by a deputy from the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office for allegedly holding a cellphone while driving. The complication arose because the driver, Kathleen Thomas, was born without her right hand, the limb the deputy claimed was holding the phone.

The encounter, which took place in February, was recorded on the deputy’s body camera and has since gone viral on social media. The footage shows Thomas humorously responding to the deputy’s claim by raising her right arm, which ends at the elbow, and saying, “Obviously not.” Despite this, the deputy insisted he saw her holding a phone.

Thomas, 36, expressed her discomfort with the situation, noting that the deputy asked her to swear “to God” with her left hand after she had already lifted her right arm. She shared her experience in an interview on “CBS Mornings,” highlighting the irony of the request given her condition.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office later issued a statement acknowledging the deputy’s visual observation at the time of the incident. However, after reviewing the case, the ticket was dismissed due to “insufficient evidence” and issues with how violations are labeled in their citation software.

Thomas, who posted the bodycam footage on TikTok, where it garnered over 23 million views, does not believe the deputy intended any harm. She emphasized the importance of recognizing limb differences as normal and expressed a desire for better training for officers in handling such situations.

The incident has sparked discussions about the need for sensitivity and awareness in law enforcement interactions, particularly when dealing with individuals with physical differences.

Original reporting: NBC4 Los Angeles — read the source article.