A Minnesota woman said a debt collection agency is trying to collect a $35 ticket she received at the age of 15 for not wearing a seat belt.
Amy Rush, who is in her 40s, said she was riding with an older man in Hamilton County, Iowa, in 1990 after running away from home and the man was pulled over for speeding.
Rush was issued a $35 ticket for not wearing her seat belt. She said the officer should have been more concerned with the fact that she was a teenage runaway riding with a stranger.
“I was a runaway, the officer that pulled us over and not only did he not see an ID or license from me, but never inquired more about me at all. For all they knew I was with a deranged psychopath or something,” Rush told WHOTV.
She said she was surprised to receive a letter at her home outside of St. Paul a few days ago from a debt collection agency looking to get the money from the ticket.
“I’ve almost considered driving down there the two and a half hours to talk to a judge to tell him how absolutely ridiculous this is and what a waste of taxpayer money this has been for the 15 years. I can’t imagine the postage they’ve paid on following me around trying to get this $35,” she said.
The Iowa Judicial System allows for Rush to appear in person and ask a magistrate to forgive the fine, but Rush said she has no intention of doing so.
“I told them they can keep sending me mail and wasting more money because I’m not paying it,” she said.
Source:Â UPI