7 On Your Side fixes Purple Heart veteran's license plate mix-up
BERGEN BEACH, Brooklyn (WABC) -- A case of mistaken identity turned into costly chaos for a local military vet.
Marty Grosso was a Bergen Beach teen when he was drafted to fight in Vietnam.
He became a paratrooper in the elite 173 Airborne Brigade. While fighting on the ground, he and his commanding officer fell into an enemy-made trap.
"It consists of sharpened bamboo, and it went through his leg and came out the other side," said Grosso.
The young sergeant was injured too, but managed to drag his commanding officer out of that hole to a medic chopper and for his bravery and combat wounds, he received a Purple Heart, a distinction begun by George Washington in 1782.
He has a special license plate for combat veterans awarded with Purple Hearts.
But recently, the Brooklyn vet got a slew of tickets for speeding through a school zone in Queens - expect it wasn't him. It was someone who wears a different uniform.
Grosso tried to fix the mix up online, sending in proof, photos of his license but instead of fixing it, he got penalties and late notices.
Next, he went to the DMV and was denied an in-person hearing and told to go to the Department of Finance office.
He reached out 7 On Your Side to get on the case.
7 On Your Side got in touch with the Department of Finance and they worked with the Department of Transportation to dismiss the violation issued.
"You guys are the best," said Grosso to 7 On Your Side. "Thank you."
ALSO READ | Veterans' charity phone number restored thanks to 7 On Your Side
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