New rules on speed and red-light cameras started this month, as the new transportation budget went into effect. But a community near Cincinnati that suspended its newly-created camera program after those new rules is now facing a lawsuit.
Former Attorney General Marc Dann filed the suit on behalf of four people who got tickets on US 52 in New Richmond. He contends the village and a company it hired have been illegally issuing traffic violations since May.
“They have been issuing camera tickets or camera citations on state roads without the permission of ODOT which is a requirement of the statute," Dann says.
Dann hopes the court will allow this to be a class action lawsuit, so other people who got tickets could join. The lawsuit, which seeks restitution and damages, includes correspondence from ODOT showing the village does not have permits to put up the cameras. The village has not responded to requests for comment, but has said the cameras would help prevent speeding and improve public safety.