Watch CBS News

Single Mom Claims City Illegally Issued $105,000 In Parking Tickets

CHICAGO (CBS) -- An unemployed, single mother says she's trapped in a parking ticket nightmare so now, she's suing.
 
The story begins four years ago when Jennifer Fitzgerald said her former boyfriend bought a used car from her uncle for $600.

He registered it in her name without her knowledge, and then three years ago, abandoned it in a parking lot at O'Hare Airport.

Since then, the car has racked up nearly 700 parking tickets and the city says Fitzgerald owes over $105,000.

According to TheExpiredMeter.com, that's not just a city record but, could be a world record.

In a lawsuit filed by a lawyer who's taken on her case for free, Fitzgerald says the city violated its own policy by not impounding the car three years ago and instead, continued to ticket it over and over again.

Her driver's license has been suspended. She says she shouldn't be responsible for the fines—and doesn't even have that kind of money in the first place.

It all goes to court next spring.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's Regine Schlesinger Reports

Podcast

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.