I-Team: Why Peninsula is raising speed camera fines

Ed Gallek
·2 min read
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PENINSULA, Ohio (WJW) — The FOX 8 I-Team has found the village of Peninsula is moving to raise the fines for speed camera tickets.

It follows outrage over drivers having to pay to appeal tickets.

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An I-Team investigation led to changes, including a new system making it easier to fight for justice.

Drivers, if you get a speed camera ticket in Peninsula, get ready to pay a bigger fine.

But now, those tickets will also cost the village money.

Records show Peninsula is in the process of raising speed camera ticket fines by $25, just as the village will now have to start paying $25 to file each ticket in court.

Last year, an I-Team investigation exposed tickets were not filed in court, and more. So we went back to the first driver to speak out about Peninsula tickets.

“To make things better for everyone else, I am glad I stepped up and called you and got things moving,” Harry Donahoo said.

Last year, the I-Team found drivers were furious about how they had to challenge tickets in court. They had to pay $100 just to fight a ticket. Court officials agreed with the drivers and put a stop to that.

Now, Stow Municipal Court is putting in a system to have Peninsula file every speed camera ticket. The court is also streamlining the process for drivers to fight the tickets.

“They can file for an appeal, they can schedule a hearing date and they will have an opportunity to meet with a prosecutor for Peninsula,” Stow Municipal Court Administrator Rick Klinger said.

After the uproar over how these tickets had been handled, the court sent refunds to drivers who’d paid just for the chance to fight a ticket.

Of course, some drivers claimed they hadn’t been speeding. But we also found complaints about speed camera tickets sent to the wrong drivers.

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Village leaders won’t answer questions on camera.

By deadline on Thursday, Peninsula officials had not responded to an email concerning the new developments.

The village stopped issuing speed camera tickets months ago while revising the process. However, the court expects the program to start up again soon.

Remember, the village will pay fees to the court, but fines for drivers are going up too.

Donahoo can’t be convinced the speed cameras are used for safety.

“I think it’s about money. I still do. I think all these speed cameras, everywhere, it’s about money,” he said.

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