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'This Can't Be My Ticket': Modesto Mom Gets Parking Ticket From Los Angeles

MODESTO (CBS13) -- A Modesto mom's minivan was slapped with a parking ticket from the Los Angeles Parking Violations Bureau — and she swears she wasn't there. 

"We weren't in L.A. in September, at all," Christal Pace said.

We've been reporting on this problem with the Los Angeles Parking Violations Bureau for 15 years. 

Christal says the plates for the red zone ticket match her minivan, but her van is silver, not white, as listed on the ticket. She paid the $186 ticket but wants a refund. 

"I paid the bill because I'm terrified," she said. "I don't want them to keep doubling it."

We've paid two trips to Los Angeles investigating this issue. The parking bureau admitted that sometimes things like the letter "I" and the number "1" get transposed, but promised in 2009 to do better when people from Northern California claim they weren't there.

In this case, they want Christal to show some proof she wasn't in Los Angeles when the ticket was written. We're helping her get that information to them. 

See a full statement from the Los Angles Parking Violations Bureau below:

"Our records indicate that the license plate and VIN number of the vehicle were confirmed when the citation was issued. This is considered prima facie evidence of a violation involving the vehicle in question. The DMV has informed us that no two vehicles have the same VIN or plate, regardless of the vehicle color, which is not a required field in citation issuance. Therefore, we cannot say the issuing officer made a mistake.

An initial notice of citation (Notice 1) was mailed in mid-October and the DMV confirmed there was no indication that the mail was undeliverable / sent back. The Parking Violations Bureau (PVB) received a phone call regarding this case approximately a week before the citation due date, and the motorist provided a copy of Notice 1 - therefore it's assumed the notice was delivered in time.

A contest statement from the motorist was received past the due date for a citation review and they, therefore, forfeited their rights to a review and refund under the California Vehicle Code Section 40215(a), a state law.

If the motorist can provide evidence that the vehicle was not at the scene during the citation's issuance, the case may be forwarded to Management to advise on a penalty dismissal.

As for the recurring issue, the PVB pulls their information directly from DMV records, so our accuracy is contingent upon motorists ensuring their DMV records are up to date."

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