Paper gets accidental traffic ticket fax

BELLEVILLE, Ill., Oct. 11 (UPI) -- An Illinois sheriff's department records clerk who sought to have a college student's speeding ticket dismissed accidentally faxed the request to a newspaper.

The Belleville (Ill.) News-Democrat said it received a fax from St. Clair County Sheriff's Department records clerk Joann Reed asking for a speeding ticket to be dismissed for the son of a deputy.

The newspaper said the fax was meant for Centreville village attorney Carmen Durso but was sent to the News-Democrat by mistake.

Reed, who described herself as "guilty" when questioned about the fax, said the recipient of the ticket was not actually a deputy's son, but rather a college student she was attempting to assist. However, the News-Democrat said it found the recipient was the son of Deputy Cerether White.

Sheriff Mearl Justus said he was investigating the matter.

"I'm going to look into it and find out what it's about," Justus said. "If she has to be disciplined, then she will be disciplined. I'll look at the whole thing. I'll take some action."