Traffic Court Nominee Pays Fines

PHILADELPHIA - May 21, 2007 (WPVI) -- His lawyer says Willie Singletary has now cleared his record and paid his fines.

He said nothing about Singletary's atrocious record of traffic violations should disqualify him from being a judge on this court.

"He hasn't violated any law that would prevent him from sitting on the bench," said defense attorney Richard Hoy.

The record speaks for itself. Singletary had 55 outstanding violations with fines totaling more than $11,000. His license is suspended until 2011.

There was also a warrant out for his arrest until late Monday when he came up with the cash to pay his fines.

Singletary's payment comes one day after Action News exposed his record in an exclusive report.

Despite piling up an alarming record of violations, Singletary may soon be in a position to prosecute those with similar violations.

Singletary was the top vote getter among 15 candidates for traffic court judge in the Democratic primary.

"I cannot believe for one minute that my fellow voters would have chosen Willie Singletary if they would have known this information," said former candidate Bernie Strain.

We tried to find Singletary at his home in Southwest Philadelphia and at his mother's home in West Oak Lane, but he was nowhere to be found. I spoke with him on the phone and he told me he has no comment.

His opponents in the primary election have plenty to say.

"That was very alarming to be quite honest with you. He's riding around and he's running for traffic court to be the position to hear these same cases, and yet he is an extreme violator of these issues," said former candidate Albert Littlejohn.

Singletary's record of violations goes back to when he was 15-years-old and they've continued to pile up over the past 11 years, long after his license was suspended.

After our report Sunday night, Singletary apparently decided to clear the record by paying his fines.

It's a record that the voters in the primary didn't know about.

It remains to be seen how he will fare in the general election now that the voters know his record.

Singletary will be among three democrats and three republicans seeking three open seats on the traffic court bench.

(Copyright 2007 by 6abc and Action News. All rights reserved.)

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