Teh One Who Knocks
03-23-2011, 01:18 PM
Written by Jeffrey Wolf - 9 News Colorado
DENVER - Lynn Archuleta says you might want to think twice before automatically paying your next parking ticket. Archuleta's ticket was dismissed last week after she proved her meter was not expired when a parking enforcement officer wrote her ticket.
Archuleta told 9NEWS she had more than one hour left on her parking meter in the 1200 block of Elati Street last week, but the parking enforcement agent issued her a citation anyway.
"One hour and two minutes left," she said. "It was blinking green."
Archuleta says she flagged down the man who wrote her the ticket, Officer Michael Maestas, and told him her meter was not expired.
"[He said] you're blinking red. You're expired. Just pay the ticket," Archuleta said.
When 9NEWS caught up with Archuleta during his shift Tuesday afternoon, he declined to comment.
Denver Public Works spokesperson Christine Downs was unable to provide any information when contacted Tuesday afternoon. Downs says she planned to investigate Archuleta's case.
"I was just furious," Archuleta said. "And then it dawned on me."
Archuleta had paid the meter with her credit card. She took her statement into traffic court the following day and was able to prove that her meter wasn't expired, as Maestas claimed on the ticket he wrote her.
"I paid for an hour and a half of parking," she said. "And within 20 minutes I was given a ticket."
While she was off the hook for her ticket, she claimed other drivers parked on Elati that day weren't so lucky.
"In 15 minutes I saw him do it to five cars," she said. "What did he do for the rest of his shift?"
Archuleta says her trust in Denver Public Works has been shaken.
"Is the city getting revenue from money they don't deserve?" she asked. "It's disappointing."
DENVER - Lynn Archuleta says you might want to think twice before automatically paying your next parking ticket. Archuleta's ticket was dismissed last week after she proved her meter was not expired when a parking enforcement officer wrote her ticket.
Archuleta told 9NEWS she had more than one hour left on her parking meter in the 1200 block of Elati Street last week, but the parking enforcement agent issued her a citation anyway.
"One hour and two minutes left," she said. "It was blinking green."
Archuleta says she flagged down the man who wrote her the ticket, Officer Michael Maestas, and told him her meter was not expired.
"[He said] you're blinking red. You're expired. Just pay the ticket," Archuleta said.
When 9NEWS caught up with Archuleta during his shift Tuesday afternoon, he declined to comment.
Denver Public Works spokesperson Christine Downs was unable to provide any information when contacted Tuesday afternoon. Downs says she planned to investigate Archuleta's case.
"I was just furious," Archuleta said. "And then it dawned on me."
Archuleta had paid the meter with her credit card. She took her statement into traffic court the following day and was able to prove that her meter wasn't expired, as Maestas claimed on the ticket he wrote her.
"I paid for an hour and a half of parking," she said. "And within 20 minutes I was given a ticket."
While she was off the hook for her ticket, she claimed other drivers parked on Elati that day weren't so lucky.
"In 15 minutes I saw him do it to five cars," she said. "What did he do for the rest of his shift?"
Archuleta says her trust in Denver Public Works has been shaken.
"Is the city getting revenue from money they don't deserve?" she asked. "It's disappointing."