Woman ticketed for stopping to help elderly couple

CLEVELAND, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- A Cleveland woman said she was issued a $290 ticket for impeding the flow of traffic when she stopped her car so a passenger could assist an elderly couple.

Anaam Ighneim, 59, said she was driving with a friend the day before Thanksgiving when they saw an elderly man having difficulty helping an elderly woman get into a truck, WJW-TV, Cleveland, reported Thursday.

Ighneim said she stopped her car so her friend could assist the couple and she gave the passenger some money to give the seniors.

"I always help people," Ighneim said. "Not financially, I am on disability; my husband is on disability. But as much as I can, I help."

Ighneim said she was pulled over moments later by a Cleveland police officer.

"He put his flash on and started screaming at me, 'you can't do that.' I said, 'let me explain. I am just helping these people and he said no explanation necessary,'" Ighneim said.

Ighneim's passenger, Amy Lee, said she was shocked when the officer issued the ticket.

"I mean I was shocked," Lee said. "I got tickets before, but for helping somebody out, never in my entire life. She didn't believe it and I know I didn't believe it."

"It's time for giving and sharing and he shared a ticket," she said of the officer.

Ighneim said she will fight the ticket in court Wednesday.