Marco Island couple continues receiving toll violation they didn’t commit

Writer: Jack Lowenstein
Published: Updated:
Frank Troha on Marco Island points to toll violations he says neither he nor his wife committed. They turned in an old license plate belonging to a deceased family member in 2016 but continue to receive notices for violations with that tag number out of state. Credit: WINK News.

We told you in February about a Southwest Florida couple getting stuck with bills that shouldn’t be their responsibility. It’s continuing to happen, and they just received a new bill for a violation they didn’t commit.

Frank and Gwen Troha on Marco Island continue to get stuck with bills connected to a license plate they returned to the state four years ago.

A letter to the state attorney’s office is Franks latest effort to get answers.

In February, we told you Frank and Gwen got dozens of toll citations from up north. The license plate in the citation pictures is one he surrendered to the Marco Island DMV in 2016.

The couple has tried and failed to get this fixed.

“We continue to get more fines from New York and from New Jersey,” Frank said.

So we tried to help and called the Florida Department of Highway Motor Safety Vehicles. We left a voicemail and have not received a response.

“Our records indicate the license plate is currently marked as canceled/surrendered,” FLHSMV shared with WINK News in a statement in February. “The department does not reuse or issue duplicate license plates.”

FLHSMV responded to us Tuesday and said it continues to look into what kind of assistance it can provide Frank and Gwen.

We spoke to a woman at the Marco DMV, and she doesn’t know of a way to track the surrendered plates and stood by the fact her office did its job in turning this couple’s plate over to the state.

Frank and Gwen just want someone to take responsibility and stop billing him. The couple also told us they also spoke with a Marco Island police detective.

We sent MIPD an email but have not heard back. We also reached out to the state attorney’s office, but no one could comment.

“I still think the plate was stolen, somewhere between the Marco Island DMV and Tallahassee where they ship them,” Frank said.

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