TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Ronald Barnes, a veteran and retired sheriff’s deputy, regularly travels the Selmon and Veteran’s expressways to get from south Tampa to Pasco County to babysit his grandkids.
For that reason, his car is essential. He panicked recently when he tried to renew his car registration and learned his registration was on hold because of unpaid tolls.
“First thing out of the guy’s mouth. He says, ‘Oh, we got a problem,” Barnes said.
Barnes discovered the hold, despite having a SunPass transponder that automatically deducts toll charges from his bank account. Somehow, he says had a $476 unpaid bill that he says no one notified him about.
“They take the money out of my account,” Barnes said. “It’s been that way for 13 years.”
He paid the bill so he could register his car, but now he’s trying to get his money back.
“They said they had a problem with their system,” he said. “I said, ‘Well, your system has cost me $476.'”
Barnes turned to Better Call Behnken to get answers. A spokeswoman for the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority said they are looking into the situation.
