Woman Ticketed for Using a Hand She Doesn’t Have Gets the Last Laugh – and a Viral Cake to Match
A Florida woman whose bizarre traffic stop turned into one of the internet’s most talked about viral moments has now received a hilarious surprise that perfectly captures the absurdity of the situation.
Kathleen “Katie” Thomas, an adaptive athlete and social media creator known online as “Slightly Off Balance,” first made headlines after she was pulled over by a Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy who accused her of using a cellphone while driving. The problem? The officer claimed she was holding the phone in her right hand — a hand Katie does not have.
The unforgettable encounter, captured on body camera footage and later shared online, quickly went viral. In the video, the deputy insists he saw Katie manipulating a phone with her right hand. Katie responds by raising her right arm, which ends above the elbow, and laughing at the obvious mistake. Even after she pointed out the impossibility of the accusation, the officer continued questioning her and ultimately issued a citation.
Months later, the citation was officially dismissed due to insufficient evidence. Court records reviewed by PEOPLE showed the case was dropped at the request of the officer involved.
But the story didn’t end there.
The viral incident caught the attention of a local Dairy Queen in Greenacres, Florida, which decided to celebrate Katie’s court victory with a custom made cake. The cake featured a cellphone, a limb illustration, and the phrase “Hand to God” — a direct reference to one of the most awkward moments from the traffic stop.
During the encounter, the deputy repeatedly asked Katie to swear “hand to God” that she was not using her phone. Katie jokingly raised her right arm, prompting the officer to ask her to raise her other hand instead. The phrase quickly became an internet meme among Katie’s followers.
When Dairy Queen presented the cake, Katie burst into laughter.
“Hand to God,” she joked while admiring the dessert. “That is better than I expected. That is top notch right there. That’s amazing … best cake ever.”
According to Katie, the gesture meant a lot because it came from members of her local community who wanted to show their support following the viral ordeal.
What began as an embarra.ssing mistake has evolved into something much bigger. Katie says the attention surrounding the video has helped spark conversations about disability awareness and has created opportunities to support causes she cares about. She has even launched merchandise featuring the now famous “Hand to God” phrase, with a portion of proceeds benefiting Shriners Children’s Hospital.
Rather than focusing solely on the officer’s mistake, Katie has encouraged people to use the incident as a learning opportunity. In interviews following the dismissal of her citation, she emphasized the importance of greater awareness and training when interacting with people who have physical differences.
For Katie, the viral moment has become more than just an unbelievable traffic stop. It has turned into a platform for education, advocacy, and a little bit of humor — topped off with what she proudly called the “best cake ever.”
