SAN LEON — A San Leon woman says she was unfairly arrested earlier this month after being pulled over for a broken license plate light. The story was first reported by ABC13 Eyewitness News, which also obtained dashcam footage showing how the situation escalated.

On the night of May 6, Cynthia Ramirez was arrested in front of her home after a Galveston County deputy initiated a traffic stop as she pulled into her driveway. The stated reason: a non-functioning license plate light.

According to the dashcam video obtained by ABC13, the deputy began questioning Ramirez about alcohol consumption. When she admitted to having “a drink” at a friend’s house but declined to elaborate, the deputy continued pressing for details. Ramirez repeatedly asked, “Do you need anything else?” rather than answer further.

Eventually, the deputy responded, “OK, you want to play this game. Put your hands behind your back,” and arrested her.

ABC13 spoke with retired Houston Police Captain Dr. Greg Fremin, who said that while Ramirez had the right not to answer, doing so likely contributed to her arrest.

“Technically, you have the right not to say anything,” Fremin explained, “but that’s not going to bode well for you on a traffic stop. It’s a rare arrest for such a minor violation.”

Ramirez disagrees, calling the arrest “unfair” and expressing concern it could reflect a broader problem. “I want to believe this was a one-off and not part of something systemic,” she told ABC13.

Court records show Ramirez was not charged with DWI or any related offense. No sobriety tests were conducted, and she was ultimately booked only for the license plate light violation. She posted a $186 bond and was released.

This article summarizes a report originally published by ABC13 and includes editorial rewriting for clarity and context.