When an 82-year-old man walked into the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office with a letter demanding he pay a parking ticket from Toledo—266 miles away!—he was certain he was the victim of a scam.
But instead of brushing him off, a dedicated deputy took the time to investigate the case, unravel the mystery, and set the record straight.
A TICKET FROM TOLEDO? NOT SO FAST!
The confused and concerned senior citizen showed deputies the official-looking notice from ParkUToledo, the company that handles parking for the University of Toledo. The letter included:
✅ His full name
✅ His current address
✅ His license plate number
✅ A picture of the vehicle that supposedly violated parking rules
But one major detail didn’t add up—the car in the photo didn’t match his vehicle at all!
A DEDICATED DEPUTY DIGS DEEPER
Determined to get to the bottom of things, the deputy sprang into action:
First, he ran the plate through dispatch—it came back to a Ford 4-door … but the car in the picture wasn’t even close.
Next, he suspected possible plate theft—asking the man if he had ever lost a plate, loaned his car to a family member, or had any reason to be in Toledo.
The victim confirmed he hadn’t been to Toledo in years and his car was a 2020 Ford Edge—definitely not the one in the ticket photo.
Not satisfied with leaving the man in limbo, the deputy took it upon himself to call the number listed on the ParkUToledo website.
THE REAL ANSWER: TECHNOLOGY FAILS!
After speaking with a ParkUToledo staff member, the truth finally came out—the whole thing was a license plate reader error!
The automated camera system had misread a different car’s plate and incorrectly linked it to the elderly man’s information.
The parking company agreed to correct the mistake immediately, and the man was officially off the hook.
A JOB WELL DONE!
Instead of brushing off the elderly man’s concerns, this hardworking deputy went above and beyond to ensure he wasn’t unfairly charged.
In an era where scams, fraud, and identity mix-ups are all too common, it’s reassuring to know that local law enforcement is willing to take the time to help—no matter how small the case may seem.
And for one grateful 82-year-old? He can rest easy knowing he won’t be paying for someone else’s parking mistake.
