PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. – Bodycam footage from a Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office traffic stop has gone viral, sparking outrage over what critics are calling a stunning lack of common sense by a deputy who cited an amputee driver for allegedly using a cellphone in a hand that doesn't exist.
The incident occurred on February 11, 2026, along North Dixie Highway in Lake Worth Beach. A deputy pulled over the woman for an alleged violation of Florida's handheld wireless device law, issuing her a $116 citation under Florida Statute 316.305 for "Wireless Comm. Device/Handheld While Driving – First Offense."
In the newly circulating bodycam video, the deputy tells the driver he observed her "holding the phone with your right hand" while manipulating it as she drove past him during a distracted driving operation. The woman, who is missing her right hand below the elbow, immediately challenges the claim."You just said my right hand," she responds, according to the footage. She then holds up her left arm to show the deputy, who doubles down, insisting, "Hand to God," he saw what he saw. The driver, who had been recording the stop herself, pushes back firmly, later requesting the bodycam footage to contest the ticket in court.
The woman's original TikTok video of the encounter had already gained significant attention earlier this year. The release of the full bodycam has reignited the debate online, with many questioning the deputy's observation skills and refusal to acknowledge the obvious mistake.
Florida's law prohibits manually typing or entering data into a wireless device while driving for non-voice communication, such as texting. However, attorneys familiar with the statute have noted that simply holding a phone is not always a violation outside of specific zones, and cases like this often get dismissed. In this instance, reports indicate the citation was eventually dropped.
