Duncanville: The Red-Light Proof is in the Picture
City answers minister's claim of unfair tickets with video of red-light running
By LITA BECK
Updated 2:28 PM CDT, Wed, Jul 22, 2009
Duncanville is putting the brakes on one couple's claim that the city's red-light cameras wrongly cited them.
Two weeks ago, Steve Cornett, a North Texas minister, and his wife, Cheryl, said they were issued nine bogus tickets by the city's red-light cameras this year.
But the city released 10 videos of the couple's white Chrysler blowing through red lights.
"Well, it was sort of embarrassing to us to have these people with all these multiple violations that are saying they didn't do it," City Manager Kent Cagle said.
Two weeks ago, Steve Cornett said he "fully believe we have not run these red lights."
When shown the videos released by the city, he speculated the tapes could be doctored.
"Who knows?" he said. "It's very unusual."
Duncanville said the idea that the tapes are doctored was ridiculous.
Cornett said he and his wife would review the tape more closely at home.
"If I made a mistake, and we did that -- whether me, my wife or whoever -- I feel like we need to pay the tickets," he said.
The red-light cameras in Duncanville have come under fire in recent months. The city's eight cameras at four intersections issued 44,000 citations last year -- more tickets than the city's entire 38,500 population.
City Councilman Paul Ford is circulating a petition to put the cameras on the city's November ballot.
In February, the City Council rejected his effort to allow drivers ticketed by the cameras to appeal to a jury.
First Published: Apr 2, 2009 6:59 PM CDT
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