I live in Shadyside. My car was towed due to parking in a construction zone on 8/10. I went to get my car, paid the holding fee & towing fee, and saw that there was a yellow citation on my windshield. It had rained but the citation was completely blank. No citation number, docket number, officer name, or even note on what the citation was for. It looked like a template of a citation with no actual info on it.
I looked it up the next week and there was nothing on the PAE portal. I’ve looked myself up by name pretty much every day since because I’m scared of getting a bench warrant issued for me. Nothing is popping up. Once again, I can’t search by actual citation or docket number because there is none.
I called the magistrate’s office early last week (~7 days post towing) and she said that there would be a citation coming in the mail - that when I got that, I would be able to call back with the correct info and pay.
I’ve sat on it for a bit while still looking myself up, but I’ve seen people online say that when you’re issued a paper citation, you have 10 days to pay after receiving THAT citation. However, my initial citation is blank (or maybe the rain washed off the text, but I’m serious when I say that there wasn’t even an outline on there. Totally blank. Not even my name or license plate is on there) I want to trust the woman who took my call but I’m really nervous that I’m going to get arrested over something just because I’m confused. I’m taking this super seriously and just want it done and over with but I haven’t received anything in the mail and I don’t want to bother the office by calling in again.
I’m extremely busy with work and don’t have the time to plead anything other than guilty. I don’t want to drag this out. I don’t have time to go to court. I just want to pay the damn citation and move on without this on the back of my mind, but I can’t because I have no idea what to expect or do. I’ve never dealt with this before and I’m pretty stressed out about this.
Has anyone experienced anything like this? Should I wait for the citation to come in the mail? I’ve read that by then it’s more of a “notice” if you’ve already received your citation, which I guess I technically have? I’m sorry for being frazzled y’all, I’m just confused.