Stickney Cop Gives Woman Ticket, Asks for Date

Stickney, Ill. - Sitcom star Rebecca Schaeffer was murdered in 1989 by a killer who had used her California driving records to locate, then stalk her. Five years later, Congress passed what was called "Rebecca's law," prohibiting the unauthorized release of information from motor vehicle records.

Now, a Kendall county woman, Evangelina Paredes, is using that law to sue Stickney Police officer Christopher Collins.

Paredes claims that last October, Officer Collins stopped her for speeding, then accessed state records to track her down.

Two days after the ticket, she found a letter on her windshield, which said, in part:

"It's Chris. I'm that ugly bald Stickney cop who gave you that ticket on Saturday... I have not stopped thinking about you since... I did cost you $132 least I can do is buy you dinner."

I spoke by phone with Paredes, who referred me to her attorney, Carlos Becerra. He said she was frightened.

"This is a single mother. This is someone who doesn't have someone in her home to protect her against an intruder. And in particular, an intruder who has the force of law behind him," said attorney Carlos Becerra.

Secretary of State's spokesman Dave Druker says if an officer does access state records for personal reasons, that "wouldn't seem to be an appropriate use of state information."

Officer Collins declined to talk on camera, but told FOX Chicago News by phone that he was just looking for a date.

"That's all it was," he said. "There was no bad intentions to it."

About the lawsuit, he added, "It's just kind of her side and what she's saying. There's a whole other side of the story."