The body camera video shows a February traffic stop in Lake Worth Beach, Florida, where a Palm Beach County deputy insisted a driver was holding a phone even after she revealed her right arm ends below the elbow. The interaction — which includes the deputy asking "Hand to God" and the driver mirroring the oath — went viral and drew heavy criticism. The sheriff's office later dismissed the citation, citing differences in statute wording and unclear citation software labels, while noting officers must act on real-time observations.
Viral Bodycam: Florida Deputy Insists Driver Held Phone Despite Her Missing Hand — Citation Dismissed
Newly-released body camera video shows a woman with one hand being cited for allegedly holding a phone while driving.(Fox News)
A Palm Beach County sheriff's deputy has come under heavy online criticism after body camera footage showed him continuing to cite a driver for allegedly holding a cellphone — even after she revealed her right arm ends at the forearm. The February traffic stop in Lake Worth Beach, Florida, was recorded and the clip later went viral.
The Traffic Stop
The deputy pulled over 36-year-old Kathleen Thomas and told her he believed she was holding a phone in her right hand. Thomas did not argue; instead she exposed her right arm, which terminates just below the elbow.
The case drew widespread attention after the driver posted video of the traffic stop on TikTok, where she questioned the deputy’s claim that he saw a device in her "right hand." She said she does not have a right hand.
"So obviously not," Thomas said, laughing. "So you want to just call this a day or…?"
The officer replied, "I don't want to call a day. You had a hand manipulator. I thought I saw your hand." Thomas responded, "Well you didn't." The deputy then appeared to hedge, saying, "With the right hand, perhaps not," but continued the stop.
At one point the deputy asked for an oath: "Hand to God, you did not have your phone in your hand?" to which Thomas replied, "Hand to God," raising the right arm she had already shown. The deputy echoed, "Other hand to God," as she lifted her left arm.
During the viral traffic stop, the woman, identified as Katie, has an uncomfortable interaction with a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputy after he accused her of holding a phone in her right hand while driving.
Aftermath and Department Response
The exchange spread across Instagram, TikTok and X, attracting millions of views and widespread criticism. In a statement to Fox News Digital, Terri Barbera, Public Information Officer and Director of the Bureau of Public Affairs for the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, said the department is "committed to enforcing Florida traffic laws."
Barbera confirmed the citation was later dismissed. She said the deputy initiated the stop based on his real-time visual observation, but after reviewing the Florida statutes and the circumstances — and noting unclear labeling in the department's citation software — prosecutors dismissed the charge citing differences in wording between Florida Statutes 316.305 and 316.306.
Barbera added that officers must make decisions based on observations made in real time, and reminded motorists that they have the right to contest citations through the judicial process, where all facts and evidence can be evaluated.
Public Reaction
The clip ignited debate online about policing, discretion and the reliability of officer observations. Critics questioned why the deputy continued to issue the citation after Thomas clearly demonstrated she did not have a right hand, while supporters of the department pointed to the complexity of split-second decisions officers must make on the road.
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