Man receives $44,000 toll fine

PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) - Charles Ackridge was told he owes $44,000 for passing through TxTag tolls without a prepaid pass and not paying the higher rate to use them.  

He said Pay By Mail signs led him to believe he'd get bills in the mail but said they never came.

To come and go more quickly from the Meadows of Blackhawk neighborhood, Ackridge used toll road SH45 or SH130.
 
"I think before we bought this house, we should have foreseen all that, but I thought the toll system would be a lot better," said Ackridge.

Frontage roads that would give him free access to I-35 are not complete, so for three years he's used the toll roads without a TxTag and expected to pay through bills in the mail - which he said never arrived.

"I don't mind paying the toll, but the thing is: Send me my mail properly on time so I can pay the toll," he said.

During a summons to court Wednesday, a judge told Ackridge he had 1,900  violations and owes $44,000.

"I mean, it blew my mind," he said.

Ackridge said the court offered to lower his fine to $7,000 if he agreed to make payments. But since he said the cost of his toll usage would only have been $1,350, he decided to take the next step.

"I'm taking it to a jury. I'd like to have my peers decide if I'm guilty or not," he said.

A Texas Department of Transportation spokesman would not comment specifically about this case because it is in litigation.

"We don't get any satisfaction, and it's a long, drawn out-process to go to court that's an option of last resort. It's one we don't like using, but it's only fair to the people who are using the toll roads and paying for the toll roads fairly," said TxDOT spokesman Chris Lippincott.

The spokesman also offered this advice..

"If you're using the toll road and you don't receive a bill from us and you're not a TxTag customer through our prepaid system, you need to give us a call or check in with us on our website. Those toll roads are out there for people to use as a choice, but you got to pay to be out there. Most of the drivers out there do, and those who don't: We're going to be in touch with them."

TxDOT said by state law the only way they can bill someone is through the address on file with the department of motor vehicles, so they urge you to have your information up to date.

Ackridge said his was, and he still didn't get billed.