Local

Woman gets 2 speeding tickets on same road, at same time

MCDONOUGH, Ga. — A woman is upset over receiving two speeding tickets on the same road at the same time.

Nyoka Patton said she has lived in the McDonough area for decades, and knew the speed limit was Industrial Boulevard was 35 mph and well-patrolled by law enforcement officers. She said she accepts receiving one ticket, but a second with the same time on it is too much.

Patton said she saw lights flashing behind her in June and assumed the officer was trying to get around her, but after a moment she and her husband realized she was being pulled over.

"I haven't had a ticket in 30 years," Patton said.

By the time Patton stopped, she said there were two McDonough police officers behind her. She said one gave her a ticket for going 56 in a 35.

"And then he said, 'Oh no, you're not going anywhere, yet. This policeman behind me wants to give you another ticket," Patton said.

That's when Patton said she got a ticket for going 62 in a 35 from the second officer.

"And it was on the same exact minute of the same exact day. Then I just went into total shock. I was so upset. I couldn't even cry," Patton said.

Pattol told Channel 2's Eric Philips the officer told her he was making an example out of her.

McDonough Police Chief Preston Dorsey said one officer was stationed at one end of Industrial Boulevard, and the other was stationed at the opposite end. He said Patton sped up by the time she got into the range of the second officer seconds later. Patton said that is not true.

"This has taught me that you have good officers and you have hotdogs and McDonough has its share of hotdogs," Patton said.

Dorsey said his officers did not do anything outside the letter of the law.

The Pattons retired and moved to Brunswick, Ga., but they said they felt so strongly about the incident that they came back to McDonough to talk to Philips.

Patton has two court dates in McDonough in October. She said she worries that both tickets will cost them nearly $1,000.