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Lockhart Man Caught In Red Light Camera Fiasco

Updated: Friday, February 22 2013, 10:00 PM CST

A Lockhart man is dealing with ticket troubles. The city of Magnolia wants him to pay $100 for running a red light.  There's just one problem -- It's not his truck.

Two trucks with very different characteristics.  One is white the other one is gold.  One was built in the 1970s, the other decades later.

And one of them belonged to Aaron Smith but he's being ticketed for the other.  Confused yet?

"It wasn't my truck," said Smith.

Smith is accused of running a red light in the city of Magnolia -- more than two hours away from his Hays County home.

"I've only been there once in my life and that was in the year 2000," added Smith.

According to Magnolia police, Smith ran a red light back in August of last year.  There's one glaring problem.

"The truck on the film is 94 GMC Sierra and the one they're giving me the ticket for is a 1971 International," said Smith.

The license plate number on the ticket is BP5131.  That is the license plate number of a truck Smith used to own.  But a close look at the tag on the truck photographed running the red reveals a "4."

"Of course they're going to question it," said Round Rock police officer Dee Carver.

Locally, the city of Round Rock has red light cameras. Carver says about 20 percent of all photographed violations are thrown out.

"We have a retired officer whose job it is to review those infractions to make sure they are in fact legitimate infractions," added Carver.

And in the city of Austin, the wrongfully accused can appeal the violation in municipal court.  Smith is hoping to avoid the costs of going to court.

"What am I going to do?  I end up having to go pay that or get an attorney to fight some more. I don't think a person should have to do that," added Smith.

A Magnolia police officer in the traffic division would only confirm that a supervisor was reviewing the case.  In the meantime, Smith's fines keeps racking up -- $25 per month.

By Alex BoyerLockhart Man Caught In Red Light Camera Fiasco