Help Me Hank: Moving Violation Mystery

When it comes to driving, Noella Ouelette is not exactly the "queen of the road"…

Noella Ouelette
"I go to church, do my grocery shopping and go to the doctor."

Long car trips? Highways? Traffic? Noella says no thanks.

Noella Ouelette
"I wasn't much of a driver to go here and there and everywhere."

Then Noella got this strange notice in the mail from New York cops. She instantly called her son Gilbert.

Gilbert Ouelette
"She said, 'I got this letter from New York State, I don't know what it is and they're going to come get me.'"

Turns out it was a bill.

Noella Ouelette
"Oh my God!"

For a New York toll violation.

Noella Ouelette
"I never drive to New York! Never!"

EZ Pass said her license plate had barreled through the tolls last October without paying. That license number used to belong to Noella's husband, but she was certain he wasn't at the wheel.

Noella Ouelette
"My husband has past away three years ago, how could he have driven that car?"

So son Gilbert called EZ Pass to set them straight.

Gilbert Ouelette
"I figured it was going to be relatively simple."

As instructed, he sent the death certificate and official notices the plates were no longer theirs. But the bills didn't stop.

Gilbert Ouelette
"They were pretty consistent."

Bewildered, Gilbert called the Massachusetts RMV, they confirmed the plate number was now issued to a tractor-trailer. So why was his mom getting blamed?

Gilbert Ouelette
"I thought it was really bizarre."

Gilbert kept buzzing EZ Pass, but after three months, Noella was still getting bills.

Gilbert Ouelette
"She had a lot of frustration over it."

Gilbert needed someone to put the easy back in EZ Pass.

Gilbert Ouelette
"I went to ‘Help Me Hank.’"

We knew when you drive through an EZ Pass toll booth a camera takes a picture of your car and license plate.

So We called EZ Pass and asked them to take another look.

Hank Phillippi Ryan, Investigative Reporter
"You have pictures of the truck that did go through. Can you send us that?"

Turns out EZ Pass admitted the picture was blurry and what’s more, it was their error. Soon after Noella received this letter that suddenly everything was dismissed.

Gilbert Ouelette
"It was great to see it actually in writing."

Total now due, it said, "zero". Now Noella can motor to church or the grocery or the doctor without thinking the cops are on her tail.

Noella Ouelette
"Oh, it's a great relief. I'll tell you that."

EZ Pass told us their toll booth photographs may be destroyed after six months. So if you need to contest a violation there, ask for the picture right away.

If you're fighting a consumer battle, maybe I can help.