Palm Desert woman finds resolution to dispute over handicapped parking citation

79-year-old Mary Ann Garcia says it’s an issue she’s been dealing with for too long and wants it resolved.

“I’m so glad you are here, listening to my case. I just have to get this out of my life,” said Garcia.

Back on December 9th, 2016, Garcia parked her SUV in one of the handicapped spots near the back entrance of Macy’s at Westfield Palm Desert before going shopping.

Returning to her SUV a short time later, on her windshield, was a ticket for parking in a handicapped spot without a placard.

“My handicapped placard, which I’ve had since 2010 had fallen on the console,” said Garcia.

At the time, her license plate did not have the handicapped sticker, that it does today.

So, after receiving the ticket, the grandmother says she contacted a representative with the office which processes parking citations and says she provided proof that at the time she was ticketed, she did, in fact, have a handicapped placard.

“A few days later, I received a citation dismissal and was told everything was fine,” said Garcia.

But, almost a year later, in November 2017, she began receiving official notices of a delinquent parking citation, showing she still is on the hook for a fine of $330 dollars, which she says she can’t afford to pay.

Garcia says she has repeatedly tried to resolve her dispute with the office that processes citations but says so far, she has gotten nothing but the ‘run around'”.

On Garcia’s behalf, we contacted the city of Palm Desert to help her find a resolution.

The city’s director of administrative services looked into the matter, and then, citing a “misunderstanding”, told us, that “if Garcia simply paid the city a remaining balance of five dollars, of a $25 ‘citation administrative processing fee’, that Garcia would no longer be held liable,” and said that the lien on her SUV would “be removed in about two weeks”.

“I would not be a person to abuse a handicapped space, ever,” said Garcia.

The next step for Mary Ann Garcia is to call the city’s code compliance department to make arrangements for paying the five dollar balance.