Cleveland: Court sues 34 drivers for unpaid traffic cam tickets


Kim Wendel Updated: 1/14/2010 12:44:25 AM Posted: 1/13/2010 2:29:47 PM






CLEVELAND -- Cleveland Municipal Court Clerk Earle Turner has filed lawsuits against 34 drivers who haven't paid thousands of dollars worth of traffic camera and parking tickets. The largest arrears is $8,085, according to court documents.
In a release from Turner, he said "We don't want to embarrass anyone, but they must understand that their debt to the city is real, and they cannot ignore it."
A ruling in favor of the court and the city could end up as a garnishment on the wages of the violators.
The 34 who were filed against could also be ordered to pay court costs and attorney fees resulting from the lawsuits.
The 34 have been notified via summonses.
The top photo traffic camera violators are () residents from Cleveland (3), Severn, Md. (1), Beachwood (1), Mentor (1), Brecksville (1), Bay Village (1) and Steubenville (1).
The three Cleveland residents have a total of 29 tickets and owe $5,920.
The Severn, Md. driver has 15 tickets and owes $2,400. The one Beachwood resident owes $2,240 on 14 tickets. The Mentor man has 26 tickets and owes $4,000.
The Brecksville driver 12 tickets and owes $1,920. The Bay Village man has 11 tickets and owes $1,760 and the Steubenville driver has 12 tickets and owes $1,920.
The traffic camera program has been in effect since 2006 and has generated about $24 million for the city.
Turner said the filing of lawsuits will become a regular monthly event if drivers don't pay their tickets.
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