Image caption Fitzgerald insisted she had been unable to retrieve the vehicle from the employee car park

A Chicago woman has settled $105,000 (£67,540) in parking fines amassed after her car was abandoned at an airport in 2009, local media report.

Jennifer Fitzgerald's ex-boyfriend left the car at O'Hare airport's employee car park. She settled with the city out of court for $4,500.

The vehicle accumulated 678 tickets before it was finally towed last year.

Ms Fitzgerald said she had been unable to gain access to the car park, according to court records.

She continued to receive tickets even after the state of Illinois revoked the car's licence plates.

Ms Fitzgerald sued the city to clear the tickets and penalties.

Her lawyer, Robin Omahana, told DNAinfo Chicago the city had disregarded its own towing rules.

"They had a little egg on their face with writing so many tickets on one car," Mr Omahana said.

City law department spokesman Roderick Drew told the Chicago Tribune that the city had tried to settle with Ms Fitzgerald before the case went to court but she declined.

Under the terms of the settlement, her ex-boyfriend Brandon Preveau will reimburse her $1,600, with Ms Fitzgerald paying the rest on a monthly plan.