Posted on 11/05/2004 5:07:35 PM PST by Samwise
OKLAHOMA CITY -- An Oklahoma City woman was still angry Thursday after she received a hefty fine for discarding a sunflower seed.
Woman Fined $185 For Tossing Sunflower Seed On Ground
Police cited Tricia Morgan for littering after she dropped the seed at an intersection about five months ago. The Oklahoma City Municipal Court upheld the fine after she challenged it.
Morgan told KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City that she's still angry about the citation. She said she couldn't believe that a single seed could cost her so much.
"I didn't drop a whole handful at all because I only had three or four in my hand," Morgan said. "I was eating them here and dropping them in the trash behind."
But an Oklahoma City police officer saw the situation differently. He said the seed went on the street.
According to Morgan, the officer wrote her a ticket for $185.
"I went to the city library to see exactly what the definition of litter is, and it's non-specific," she said. "It says anything that falls out of a vehicle is considered litter. I've been to many weddings where I have thrown birdseed at the bride, and I have never been ticketed there for littering."
Morgan said she still eats sunflower seeds and still drives the same stretch of road. However, she said she's still steaming at the fine.
"I thought it was all right to throw out apple cores to feed the rabbits and the squirrels, and I think it's pretty silly that I have been ticketed for this," she said.
Morgan said she couldn't afford the $558 that county officials said it would take to appeal the ticket. However, a municipal court administrator told KOCO-TV that the appeal fee should have been only twice the amount of the fine.
Oklahoma City police confirmed that a city law change several years ago made it a crime to throw a sunflower seed on the street.
"Officers are required to enforce all statutes and ordinances regardless of what they are ... because what to one person is very insignificant (is very significant) to someone else," Sgt. Charles Phillips said.
Phillips said Oklahoma City residents can be charged as much as $200 for a first-time littering offense. Distributed by Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Sheesh...guess I better keep those slippery banana skins in my car!
If it's biodegradable, it's not litter. IMHO
Apparently, they never heard of bio-degradable??
So if a leaf blows into the passenger compartment of your car while you're in OKC, and you throw it back out, prepare to be fined. How ludicrous is that?
Any bets on the Officer's last name?
I'm going for "Obie"
Hey, just a cop doing his job!
LVM
Incredible!
It's the end of the world as we know it.
Totally agree. This is madness. I would have expected something like this in California, or Maryland, but not in OKC.
I don't like litter any more than the next guy, but this?
This is highway robbery.
Regards,
PS: Besides, in 10 seconds some pigeon would have come by and eaten it. Now the poor pigeon will starve to death. Charge the cop with animal cruelty!
Mother Nature is going to be in big trouble if they catch her.
lol
They don't have enough brains to be trusted with firearms.
apparently these "officers" have a lot of time on their hands, unnnnnnnnngggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!
It's all biodegradable--if you have the right environmental conditions and sufficient time.
An all-too-common affliction.
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