Monday 23 June 2014

678 Parking Tickets Is A Chicago Record

By Cornelius Nunev


A woman is suing the town of Chicago due to a $105,000-plus parking ticket bill accrued by her $600 Junker vehicle. The citations, collected over three years, add up to the largest such bill ever served by the city. However, there are explanations why she may have a very good case.

Owner of the vehicle with all the parking citations?

The 31-year-old single mom in Chicago, Jennifer Fitzgerald, owns the 1978 Chevy Monte Carlo which was purchased in 1999 for $600. Does she really own it though?

The vehicle was registered under Fitzgerald's name after ex-boyfriend Brandon Preveau purchased it from his uncle. The vehicle was used by Preveau to get to and from his job at the airport working for United Airlines. Fitzgerald did not know why Preveau abandoned the vehicle, but she said: "On or before November 17, 2009, Brandon drove the Automobile into the Parking Lot and never drove it out again."

Tickets for the trouble

The car was intended to be towed over and over but was never done. In May 2009, the vehicle got its first ticket. The car was then cited for having expired plates, damaged windows, now having a city sticker, having broken headlights and for being abandoned over 30 days. It still was not towed regardless of everything.

After that, the vehicle was given 678 citations. Now, it owes $65,000 in fines.

Fitzgerald's reaction

Fitzgerald did not know her name was on the title, she claims, which means Preveau has to pay off the $100,000 in tickets. She cannot afford to get a loan for a car let alone a huge bill like that. The city says she has to pay the bill though.

This is why she filed the complaint. For obvious reasons, it was against Preveau. It was against United Airlines as the parking lot was leased from the city for workers to park. She is also angry at the town as the extra citations would never have occurred if the vehicle had been towed like it was intended to.

The case will go to a judge in 2013.




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