Red light cameras catch wrong man

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WIVB) - Cities across the country are installing red light cameras for safety purposes and they have a tendency to bring in millions of dollar in traffic fines.

More than 500 communities across the country are using red light cameras to crack down on violators. Video of a car running a red light in Suffolk County, on Long Island resulted in a traffic citation mailed to Vic Ketch in Niagara Falls.

"I've never been to New York City, and it wasn't my car," Ketch said.

A red light camera caught the car running the light, but it doesn't look anything like Ketch's Toyota.

"Totally different body style, totally different color. This car had dark windows, tinted windows, ours does not," Ketch noted.

But Ketch has been stuck trying to get Suffolk County officials to correct the mistake for nearly two months. He learned through the process that the company that installed the cameras. also maintains them. The company checks the pictures in Texas and has no direct line to the state DMV.

Ketch said, "From looking at the pictures, they're two different cars probably six to seven years apart. They're two different body styles, two different colors. And they said they do not have access to DMV."

After several phone calls, Ketch finally got a letter from Suffolk County saying it was a mistake.

Ketch said, "It says, 'Suffolk County Red Light Program,' but the letterhead has a P.O. Box for Denver, Colorado."

New York City has raked in more than $200 million  in red light fines over the last five years, much of which was generated by the red light cameras.

Buffalo got the green light from state officials to install the cameras four years ago, but upon further review, city officials decided it wasn't worth the hassle, and dropped the idea.