3 Montco Drivers With $187K In Toll Debts Charged With Theft: DA

Three drivers from Montgomery County who racked up more than $187,000 in unpaid tolls and fees to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, and subsequently ignored thousands of collection notices, were held for trial on felony theft charges, authorities announced.

Kelly M. Robinson, 32, of Lansdale; Christina M. Heller, 52, of Hatboro; and Ayelet D. Farage, 47, of Elkins Park all waived their right to a preliminary hearing Thursday before Magisterial District Judge Joseph P. Falcone of Bensalem. They will be formally arraigned Sept. 14 in Bucks County Common Pleas Court in Doylestown.

Also charged in the crackdown was Jarrett L. Stiff, 36, of Warminster.

According to prosecutors, Robinson owes $66,553.43 — half in unpaid tolls and half in administrative fees. She is accused of evading 840 separate tolls from 2013 to 2017. Nearly 1,700 payment demand notices were sent to her, prosecutors said.

Heller owes $60,634.40 — $28,114.40 in unpaid tolls and $32,520 in fees, the affidavit said. She has been sent 1,626 notices seeking payment of 813 unpaid tolls from 2012 to 2015.

Farage owes $60,569.65 – $27,829.65 in tolls and $32,730 in fees, according to the affidavit. Prosecutors allege she drove through interchanges 822 times without paying from 2012 to 2017. She was sent 1,644 notices, the affidavit alleges.

Stiff owes $127,967.40 to the Turnpike Commission — $37,572.40 in unpaid tolls and $90,395 in administrative fees, authorities said. According to a probable cause affidavit, Stiff traveled through turnpike interchanges 2,264 times without paying from 2013 to 2017. Turnpike officials have sent him 4,528 notices in their collection efforts, prosecutors said.

According to prosecutors, investigators made repeated unsuccessful attempts to set up payment agreements before resorting to criminal charges.

The prosecutions are the first in Bucks County under a recent crackdown aimed to curb "habitual scofflaws" responsible for millions of dollars in toll violations, information from the Bucks County District Attorney's office said.

Most of the unpaid tolls were in Bucks County, which turnpike officials have called "an epicenter for toll violations." It's home to two of the three interchanges with the highest violation rates in Pennsylvania – Neshaminy and Bensalem.

Thefts of more than $2,000 are charged as felonies of the third degree, punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.

In addition to the charges, there is a law now on the books that enables turnpike officials to seek suspension of the vehicle registrations of motorists who have six or more unpaid toll violations, or who owe at least $500 in tolls and fees.

As a result, three of the defendants — Stiff, Robinson and Ayelet — were also charged with driving while their licenses were suspended or revoked. Investigators determined all three had incurred toll violations at times when their drivers’ licenses were under suspension, according to prosecutors.

“Most Pennsylvania Turnpike travelers pay their toll bills and violations on time, but a few extreme scofflaws are ignoring hundreds of mailed notices and simply refusing to pay what’s owed,” said Ray Morrow, the Turnpike Commission’s chief compliance officer. “We have partnered with prosecutors across our toll-road system to pursue theft-of-services charges and recover unpaid tolls from chronic violators."

Top photos are Stiff and Farage. Bottom photos are Heller and Robinson. Photos via Bucks Co. DA's office