I was fined $150 after my daughter sold cookies at the end of my parents’ driveway – city said we broke sidewalk rule

A MOTHER was hit with $150 worth of fines after her daughter sold Girl Scout cookies in her grandparent's driveway.

13-year-old daughter Emma McCarroll and her mom Erica Fairbanks McCarroll, said they were told they had broken a sidewalk rule in Pinedale, Wyoming.

The Girl Scout said she was selling cookies from a stand in her grandparents’ driveway in the small town, according to the Cowboy State Daily.

Fairbanks McCarroll explained her daughter was attempting to raise money for a summer camp.

She added that the Girl Scout had sold 1,200 boxes in the same spot last year so wanted to try again this year.

Her mother claimed they were approached by a woman, in an animal control vehicle, on March 13.

Fairbanks McCarroll alleged the woman did not announce who she was or what her title was but had supposedly advised the mother and daughter to not block the sidewalk.

“All she said really was you shouldn't block the sidewalk,” Fairbanks McCarroll said.

The town of Pinedale said the woman was a Municipal Officer and was acting "under official capacity" and had given the mother two verbal warnings to move the stall off of the sidewalk, according to a press release.

This release explained that a Wyoming Department of Transportation regulation surrounding commerce on highway rights of way had been breached.

Fairbanks McCarroll claimed she had pulled the stand further up into the driveway because of this and continued to operate the stall.

The town instead said the requests by their Municipal Officer were made over three days but the stand had not been moved off the sidewalk.

Fairbanks McCarroll alleged the same woman appeared again two days later and handed them several fines.

“We sold for about 1 hour and 30 minutes when she showed up and handed me 3 parking tickets totaling $400,” Fairbanks McCarroll said.

“She said the tickets aren't just for being on the sidewalk and that this is for your daughter's safety," Fairbanks McCarroll added.

“I responded with 'the Fairbanks are my parents and they don't care,” she added.

I responded with 'the Fairbanks are my parents and they don't care.'"

Erica Fairbanks McCarrollGirl Scout mother

These initial fines were a $100 citation for parking on the sidewalk, a $150 citation for unlawful obstruction, and a $150 citation for breaking a code that stated at least five feet of a sidewalk had to be clear, according to the MailOnline.

The town of Pinedale said the mother had disputed these citations at a Town Council meeting.

They added that the mom had also submitted the case to the Municipal Court.

The $400 fine was later dropped to $150 after the court dismissed two of the three fines, on March 26, according to the MailOnline.

Fairbanks McCarroll said she paid $508 to hire a lawyer for this, according to a Facebook post that she had shared.

The mother added that she decided to pay the $150 rather than go to court again and incur fees.