Fifteen Toll Road Scofflaws Owe $688,000

The North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) has identified 15 individuals that have an average debt of $46,000 for unpaid tolls, administrative fees and related expenses.  According to NTTA, legal action is being pursued in each of these cases.

In Harris County, toll road officials have adopted an aggressive policy of having the Constable’s Office stop and arrest scofflaws who have multiple violations. 

The state of Virginia may withhold vehicle registrations for individuals that have three or more unpaid violations.  At present, there is no Texas law that permits the withholding of vehicle registration renewals or the renewal of an individual’s drivers license for toll violations.

Top amounts owed by individuals to the NTTA are:

Jessica Woodworth, Dallas                           $64, 424

Kelly D. Lewis, Frisco                                    61,905

Cedrick Record, Dallas                                   53,521

 
Janie Bean, Irving                                            50,533

Sonia Gonzales, Dallas                                    47,834

Daniel W. Burzynski, Dallas                            47,144

Raul Martinez, Arlington                                  46,556

Jerry Boysen, Jr. Garland                                43,697

Peggy Y. Martin, Grand Prairie                        43,597

Evangelina S. Gonzalez, Dallas                        42,617

Christopher E. Rivers IV, Murphy                   41,820

Tania L. Hariston, Irving                                  39,140

Joseph P. Jones, Lewisville                              34,077

Becca J. Thayer, Plano                                    33,137

Correction to September 7, 2007 article “Fifteen Toll Road Scofflaws Owe $688,000

The above article stated that “there is no Texas law that permits the withholding of vehicle registration renewals or the renewal of an individual’s drivers license for toll violations.”  This is in error.

The Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA) and the North Texas Toll Road Authority (NTTA) operate under different statutes.   

According to D. Page Rander, Communications Coordinator for the HCTRA, the Houston-area agency is allowed to withhold vehicle registration renewals for owners whose vehicles have excessive violations on more than two occasions in a 12-month period.  Specifically, the HCTRA may enforce its decisions by:

1.       placing a device that prohibits movement of a motor vehicle on the vehicle that is the subject of the decision;

2.       imposing an additional fine if the fine for the offense is not paid within a specified time; or

3.       refusing to allow the registration of the vehicle.