Long Island couple tagged for $8,400 in speeding tickets, toll violations after license plate was stolen
DIX HILLS, N.Y. -- A couple who lives and works on Long Island has received more than 100 tickets for violations in New York City. But they say they're not the ones racking up the fines.
Another day brings another slew of tickets to the Dix Hills home of Joseph and Michele Maldari. The couple shared documented proof with city agencies that their license plate was stolen, but they're still being harassed, CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reported Thursday.
"The violations continue to come in. About 10 a day," said Michele Maldari. "It says here that this is now going to a collection agency. They can seize any motor vehicle that belongs to us. They can start to put liens on our bank accounts and garnish our nonexempt wages."
Michele is a Long Island school teacher. Joe is an Long Island Rail Road conductor. Their license plate was stolen from the train lot in Huntington, where police filed a report. They got new plates, new registration and updated in insurance.
But this nightmare has been going on since August. Someone is speeding recklessly around New York City school zones with their stolen plate.
"This is not us. We don't live here, we don't work here," said Michele.
"In this picture, I can see that it's an Infinity car. But it's a different model. It's a black car and I have a light brown car," said Joe.
The Maldaris are swamped with dozens of costly New York City speed camera and toll tickets. They've repeatedly sent all documented paperwork proof - police reports and DMV registration - as requested to the Department of Finance.
So far, they have 136 tickets totaling $8,400.
The new DMV registration contains their old plate number and their new plate number.
"So it doesn't go into the system as a stolen plate, which is a problem," said Michele.
The burden of proof remains with the Maldaris, writes the latest judgement.
"And they would like us to submit an NYPD report of theft of loss," said Michele, even though it was stolen in Huntington.
They call the experience a waste of government spending - going after the good guy instead of the scofflaw.
"The government is losing billions of dollars in uncollected fines, and so what I want to say to Mayor Adams is 'Here's $8,400 for you,'" said Michele.
Meantime, the tickets keep piling up.
"He's speeding through school zones, so this will get resolved when somebody gets hurt," said Michele.
We reached out to the Department of Finance. They said they will look into the Maldaris case and hope to resolve it.