Preckwinkle’s car moseys on through a red light as if it’s not even there. | City of Chicago

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s assurance that traffic tickets issued to her official county vehicles are paid is looking less and less truthful. In fact, we may change her nickname from “Speedwinkle” to “Bullwinkle,” ‘cuz she’s dishing out a bunch of bull.

Since our March 15 report on an unpaid speed camera violation issued to Preckwinkle, the county’s top politician has demanded a hearing to protest the ticket as well as two other parking violations.

Bullwink, er, Preckwinkle has also racked up a brand new red light camera violation and a fresh speeding violation.

Girl, what is the emergency?

In her latest snub to motorists, Preckwinkle’s car was caught cruising through a solid red light in the 200 block of West Garfield Blvd on March 18. Video of the infraction begins with the signal already solid red before Preckwinkle’s SUV glides into the frame and slips on through the intersection without even slowing down.

As in many of her traffic snafus, the emergency lights on Preckwinkle’s car are activated.

As of tonight, the ticket remains unpaid.

On March 2, a speed camera in the 500 block of East Morgan Drive caught Preckwinkle’s car going 40 MPH in a 30 MPH zone. That ticket has been paid.

But the February 25 violation that we reported on last month—the one showing her car tooling through the Austin neighborhood at 45 MPH in a 30 MPH zone—is now in protest mode. A hearing has been requested for that one. Hearings have also been sought for two parking violations that Preckwinkle collected since our report. Yet another parking violation, issued April 7, remains unpaid.

Screengrab of tickets issued to one of Preckwinkle’s county cars since October | City of Chicago

Altogether, “Preckwinkle’s car” owes the city of Chicago $500 in unpaid violations tallied since October 12. She’s like our very own honey badger, running all over the city with her red lights flashing. “It’s pretty bad ass. Look! It runs all over the place. Watch out!” Preckwinkle don’t care. She’s a honey badger.

But what’s the deal with these hearing requests, Toni?

In October 2016, you told us on Twitter, “I don’t condone speeding. Any tickets issued are paid.” Then, you turned around and protested the exact speeding ticket we had just asked you about.

Don’t expect Bullwinkle’s behavior to change. She just won re-election, and we’re sure the “emergencies” that demand her speedy, red light-running response are only going to multiply.

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