Driver faces suspension after disputing unpaid school zone ticket in Palm Bay | FOX 51 Gainesville
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Driver faces suspension after disputing unpaid school zone ticket in Palm Bay

By
Published  May 23, 2025 12:47am EDT
Brevard County
FOX 35 Orlando

The Brief

    • Drivers who don’t pay Palm Bay school zone speeding tickets could lose their license.
    • One driver says she requested a hearing when she was first issued a ticket, but months later she was sent a letter by the state saying her license was being suspended.
    • A spokesperson for Redspeed told FOX 35 that the woman requested the hearing too late and beyond the deadline.

PALM BAY, Fla. f - Autumn Faleris was recently issued a notice from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) that her driver’s license was in jeopardy of being suspended because of an unpaid and unsettled traffic ticket.

What we know:

Autumn Faleris received a speeding ticket in February from a school zone camera in Palm Bay, Florida.

Faleris said she didn’t think the ticket was accurate because she said she picked up her daughter in another part of town the day the ticket was issued. She believes the traffic photo was taken on a different date and time.

Because of that, she did not pay the ticket. Instead, she said she thought she had requested a hearing to dispute it.

She said she did not hear back about a hearing date. Then she received a notice from the Florida DMV that her license was at risk of being suspended due to the unpaid ticket.

RedSpeed USA, which operates and monitors the traffic enforcement camera, told FOX 35 in a statement that Feleris did request a hearing, but that she requested it too late and after the set deadline.

A spokesperson clarified on Friday, a day after FOX 35's report, that Faleris was sent a certified letter detailing how to request a hearing and when that hearing needed to be requested.

Faleris said the ticket is not correct – and also does not want to lose her privilege to drive. She said she plans on hiring an attorney to fight the ticket.

What they're saying:

The case highlights the growing tension surrounding automated traffic enforcement, especially in sensitive areas like school zones. For drivers like Autumn Faleris, the threat of losing driving privileges raises alarms about procedural fairness.

"I have never been in trouble, never had my license threatened," said Faleris, who could lose her license due to a school zone speeding ticket. 

"What appalls me more than anything is that she did request the hearing, and Redspeed just ignored that and told the clerk’s office she had failed to respond," said Faleris’s criminal defense attorney, David Ege.

RedSpeed statement:

"Unfortunately, this driver was traveling at nearly twice the posted speed limit during an active 20 mph school zone—exactly the type of behavior this program is designed to deter.

She failed to comply with the instructions outlined in the original violation notice as well as the follow-up reminder notice and missed the response deadline. As a result of her continued inaction, the police department reviewed the case and issued a Uniform Traffic Citation. She again failed to respond in the timely manner to the Uniform Traffic Citation which may lead to a suspension of her driving privileges.

This is an important reminder for speeders to not ignore the notices of violation, as they can result in loss of driving privileges. This case serves as a clear example of how automated enforcement technology helps protect school zones from those who choose to ignore posted speed limits."

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO:

The Source: FOX 35's Esther BOwer talked to Autumn Faleris about the ticket and her experience with RedSpeed USA, the company that enforces traffic cameras in the area. A spokesperson for RedSpeed provided FOX 35 with a lengthy statement. A day after our report, a spokesperson clarified further that Faleris allegedly submitted her request for a hearing after the set deadline and provided an updated statement to address minor grammar errors.

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