Update at 4:05 p.m. ET: Gannett-owned WTSP-TV informs On Deadline that the Tampa-St. Petersburg station actually broke this news Aug. 26.

Original post: A Florida driver ticketed for flashing his headlights to warn of a police speed trap is fighting back with a class-action lawsuit charging a violation of motorists' free speech rights, the St. Petersburg Times reports.

If the state loses, it could be forced to refund fines to 2,400 motorists cited for headlight-signaling from 2005 to 2010.

Although the state has not formally answered the lawsuit, the Times quotes Capt. Mark Welch, spokesman for the Florida Highway Patrol, as saying "flashing lights are prohibited on vehicles," except for turn signals.

Erich Campbell, 38, of Land O'Lakes, Fla., tells the Times he sees a pattern in the ticketing, mainly from "frustrated police officers who feel they were disrespected."

He says his $115 ticket was dismissed by a Hillsborough County judge, a move he claims is common among several county courts.

He and his legal team claim the law was meant to ban drivers from having strobe lights or official-looking blue police lights and says judges have found that the law "does not prohibit the flashing of headlights as a means of communication."

After Campbell filed his suit, the FHP ordered all troopers to stop writing such tickets, at least for now, the Times reports.