WINNFIELD, La. — A legal battle is brewing in Winn Parish as four Louisiana residents from various parishes have filed a lawsuit against the City of Winnfield and MetaTraffic LLC. The filed complaint, which became public on February 28 in the 8th Judicial District Court, centers on allegations that both entities have unlawfully enforced speed limits using a controversial camera system.
Plaintiffs claim the speed enforcement camera, installed near the junction of West Court Street and Cotton Street along Hwy 167, flouts state traffic enforcement laws. Specifically, they allege violations stem from the camera’s proximity to recent speed limit changes, which contravenes Louisiana legal statutes governing automated enforcement.
According to details from the lawsuit, the contested speed camera began operation on October 13, 2024, and has since generated thousands of traffic citations. Fines for these speeding tickets range between $165 and $185. The complaint underscores a specific statute stipulating automated speed enforcement devices must not be located within half a mile of a speed limit change exceeding ten miles per hour. Plaintiffs argue the placement of the camera defies this regulation; a point of contention follows a speed limit alteration enacted five months prior when Governor Landry signed Act 103 on May 21, 2024.
The geographic specifics paint a clear picture—the speed limit transitions from 45 mph to 35 mph within a distance significantly shorter than the required half-mile zone from the installed camera. This, as per plaintiffs’ assertions, renders the camera’s operation illegal.
Further fueling the legal fire, petitioners have presented evidence from a public records request indicating that over $100,000 was collected from the camera’s issued citations in just the final 10 weeks of 2024 alone. Collectively, citizens have purportedly paid close to $200,000 in fines to the City of Winnfield and MetaTraffic LLC due to this camera’s operation.
Legal representatives for the plaintiffs are pushing for the court not only to deem the use of the camera at West Court & Cotton illegal but also to mandate that all collected fines be refunded. They argue that since the specific citations issued by this device can be distinguished from others, the retrieval of fines should be feasible for the defendants.
Despite this controversy, it is noted that this camera is not the only one in operation within the city, suggesting a systemic issue with automated traffic enforcement in the area.
The city officials had not yet responded to requests for comment on the matter at the time of reporting. The outcome of the lawsuit could prompt a broader evaluation of traffic enforcement practices not only in Winnfield but potentially across similar jurisdictions in the state.
As this story continues to develop, further updates will be provided regarding the legal proceedings and any responses from the involved parties.
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