Man in wheelchair ticketed for parking in yard

By Jennifer Pierce, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- City enforcement crews are ticketing folks for leaving parked cars in front yards, but a disabled metro man said he was unfairly ticketed.

Bobby Lane was diagnosed with post-polio in 2006.

"Your legs give out and it hurts real bad," Lane said.

Lane can't walk unsupported and needs a wheelchair to get around. On the days when his legs really hurt, he crawls to his pickup truck and backs it up to his front porch to load his wheelchair.

"The morning I got that ticket, I had an appointment at OU Medical Center and I just loaded up my chair and I came out and there was a ticket," Lane said.

An Oklahoma City code enforcement crew ticked him for being parked in the front yard. It's a problem that has grown over the years, authorities said.

"We do have crews that go out and proactively try to find people parking in their front yard," Yager said.

Lane said he doesn't make a habit of parking in the yard and only does it when he has to.

"I've been here 50 years and everybody, my neighbors, will tell you I park the truck right over there until I have to," Lane said.

City spokesperson Kristy Yager said once a citation is written it's up to a judge to make the final decision, but she thinks Bobby might have a case for getting out of his ticket.

Lane came to a community action agency for some help and was approved for a wheelchair ramp about a year ago. The person in charge said the agency is out of money, and can't build Lane his ramp.

"They got me scared now to park in the yard," Lane said. "I get a ticket that will be $20 and I'm on a fixed income and stuff like that. I'm scared I'll get another ticket."

According to the agency, Lane's ramp should be built for him by next week.