D.C.’s attorney general is suing five drivers from Virginia and Maryland accused of owing more than a combined $420,000 in unpaid traffic tickets. One driver alone owes more than $180,000, according to the District.
Over a span of about two years, Maryland driver Charles Sanders Jr. racked up 344 traffic citations — 316 of them for speeding and of those tickets, 61 of them are for driving 30 mph or more over the speed limit, qualifying as aggravated reckless driving, according to D.C.
Sanders owes the city $187,200, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb said in his lawsuit.
Four other drivers — all from Virginia — are included in the suit, which states the following:
- Ayanna Khalya Wilson owes D.C. $77,100 for 244 traffic infractions. This includes 202 citations for speeding, of which eight were for driving 30 mph or more over the speed limit.
- Omar Rahmouni El Idrissi owes D.C. $69,456 for 263 traffic infractions, including 246 for speeding.
- Dejene Abebe owes D.C. $58,608 for 197 traffic infractions, including 163 citations for speeding.
- Pedro James Baker owes D.C. $31,316 for 159 traffic infractions, including 30 citations for speeding, 20 citations for running red lights and 15 citations for running stop signs.
Schwalb is bringing the lawsuit under new authority granted by the D.C. Council to bring civil suits against drivers from anywhere, not just D.C., who have large balances of unpaid moving violations.
It’s one of the first suits of its kind since the Strengthening Traffic Enforcement, Education, and Responsibility (STEER) Act went into effect in October.
The first was filed in February against three Maryland drivers who owed a combined $90,000.
“Too many drivers think they can speed recklessly through the District, putting the safety of Washingtonians and visitors at risk, with no financial consequences for their lawlessness,” Schwalb said in a news release. “These suits reflect our continuing commitment: if your actions behind the wheel put people’s lives at risk, we will hold you accountable, no matter where you live.”
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