Thousands Face Tolls for Evading Gunfire

Thousands of drivers who were detoured by police to avoid a huge gunfight last month in Los Angeles have been fined for not having a transponder for the toll lanes to which they were diverted. On Aug. 13, police had closed the regular lanes from 3 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on part of the 110 freeway due to a gunfight between two men and police that ended with an officer wounded and a gunman killed. After an uproar, transit officials said people who received the fines did not have to pay them, and those who already did would be refunded. Xerox, which handles the tolls, says a system malfunction that the company can’t explain is the reason why people were charged. Drivers had received notices about fine increases if the tolls weren’t paid.