Hollywood Beach veteran’s $125 parking invoice dismissed after camera error

A Hollywood Beach veteran who disputed a $125 parking invoice had the charge dismissed after the company that issued it acknowledged a camera error. Don Hanson, 77, said he had driven through the private lot as a shortcut but had never parked there. Unable to resolve the dispute himself, he contacted WSVN’s Help Me Howard.

Hanson has lived in Hollywood Beach since the late 1980s and served in the United States Coast Guard. He told WSVN that he loves the area, although he believes it has become too crowded. He also described his pride in his military service and recalled losing a close friend in Vietnam in 1969.

The invoice alleged that Hanson’s vehicle had occupied the lot for 24 hours without payment. Hanson rejected that account, saying he used the property only to avoid driving around the block. His route took him through the lot and back out to a parking spot beside his building, a trip he said lasted less than a minute.

According to Hanson, the company recorded his car entering just after midnight on June 20 but failed to capture its departure moments later. He said the exit photograph used to support the invoice instead came from the following night, when he took the same shortcut again. That pairing, he argued, incorrectly made two separate trips look like one prolonged stay.

Hanson also said he had been at work during the period the company claimed his vehicle was parked in the lot. WSVN contacted his employer, which confirmed his account and said he had driven to work. His pay stub recorded a shift beginning at 3 p.m. and ending at 11:29 p.m.

The charge posed a financial problem for Hanson, who said he was already struggling to cover other bills. In the report, Howard Finkelstein said private parking companies could not charge someone merely for driving through. He explained that Florida law provides a 15-minute grace period for drivers who cannot find a space or change their minds, and said Hanson’s invoice should be canceled.

WSVN tested Hanson’s route and completed it in 15 seconds. The station then contacted the company and explained the evidence that Hanson had been at work. The company attributed the invoice to an error in its camera capture and dismissed the charge.

The company also asked Hanson to stop cutting through its property, a request he readily accepted. Hanson thanked the program for investigating and described the resolution as one less burden while he continued trying to meet his expenses.