10 Year Old Speeding Ticket

[bal128]

My question involves a traffic ticket from the state of: Washington, Skagit County

Hi everyone,

not looking for detial info just wondering what if any options i have at this point in time.

I'm resident of BC canada and got a speeding ticket way back sometime in 2002.
I used to have an Audi which only has KM on the dash, didnt have the small print MPH like most cars.

I was following traffic best i could closest to the speed limit. And over the hill i was last in the pack and got gunned down by state patrol.

He gave me a ticket for being over 1 MPH, i tried to explain my car doesn't even show MPH and i thought i was doing pretty good. Patrol officer didn't care to acknowledge me at all and seemed like he was trying to make a quota.

After frustration I came home realized he has spelt my first and last name incorrectly.
First name had 3 letters incorrect and last name had one. I was young and stupid advise i got was try to appeal stating your car only has MPH and incorrect name spelling. Wrote the letter and sent it but never got a reply back, and i forgot about it.

Then i heard their is an agreement with BC and Washington regarding licenses, but nothing ever came up on insurance or license renewals.

Just last weekend going over to the states i got pulled into the office, and border patrol officer asked if i had a ticket. He mentioned something showing in 2002 but names are little different. He advised i go check out DMV.

Now im guessing after 10 years the ticket is probably not 91 but a lot higher.
I know i didn't appeal in time and have to pay ticket, wondering if anyone knows if i can get the original ticket price instead of late fees/interest because incorrect name was used and i never got notice of it after my letter was sent.

I know its a long shot, but i did read somewhere collections is usually sent after unpaid tickets. I have never recieved anything in the mail or phone calls regarding it.

do i have any options other than paying full price of whatever that ticket might be?

[PTPD22]

Your problem is probably not the original speeding ticket. You probably have a failur to appear criminal arrest warrant. From what you describe, the errors in your name, no notification in the mail (providing that your address was current on your license record), etc., I suspect that you can get this cleared relatively painlessly. You may have to pay the original fine, along with some court costs, etc., and maybe another fine for the FTA, but I doubt it will be much and the judge quite possibly will not even do that. BUT, you need to contact the court and take whatever action to get it cleared up. An outstanding warrant, even steming from something so minor, is not something you want to ignore.

[bal128]

thanks for the quick response.

just to clearify on what you said. Sounds like going in person and trying to settle the payment won't be as simple as a payment. Will i have to go to court and go through the whole procedure of an appeal?

Will they arrest me on the spot even if i try to pay the ticket because of potential arrest warrant?

I have been at the same address for last 14 years, wondering why i wouldn't get notice from them.

[PTPD22]

Legally, they could arrest you on the spot, but that's not going to happen. They will give you an appearance date. Now, mind you, that does NOT clear the warrant. The warrant is still out there if you get stopped on the street. To clear the warrant, you will have to appear before a judge.

[BrendanjKeegan]

I highly doubt a judge would put a FTA on a civil infraction for one over. It would be easier, in the court's eyes, to send it to collections and be done with it.