What started as a tense traffic stop in North Carolina turned into a heartfelt embrace—and a moment that would change a woman’s life.
The Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office shared bodycam footage of Deputy Shawn Singleton pulling over driver Katelyn Ricchini in March, ABC affiliate WSOC and NBC affiliate WRAL reported. Ricchini had been heading home after attending church.
In the footage, Singleton tells Ricchini, “I stopped you at 61 in a 45,” to which she responds, “You didn’t put your lights on until after I slowed down. I was going the speed limit.”
“No, but I clocked you at 61 and a 45. I didn’t stop you there,” Singleton replies. “So what’s with the attitude? Just curious.”
Ricchini asks, “I’m not allowed to have bad days?”
“No, everybody is entitled to a bad day,” Singleton says. “I can understand that completely … but I’m trying to be nice and courteous to you … and I’m getting a lot of heat.”
She then admits she struggles with authority, saying, “I come from a background where I don’t do cops.”
After checking her license, Singleton returns to the car and lets her off with a warning.
“This is a warning ticket for you to slow down,” he says. “That’s it. No court date, no fines, no nothing. I’ll ask you pay attention to speed limit signs.”
When Singleton asks if she’s okay, Ricchini breaks down. “No … the anxiety is killing me. I come from a background. I’m clean and sober now … [but] I’ve always had bad incidents with cops.”
Seeing her distress, Singleton gently asks, “Do you want to hug?” She nods, and the two embrace. Ricchini opens up about moving to North Carolina to escape an abusive relationship and leaving her 5-year-old son behind to get clean.
“I never hugged a cop before,” Ricchini says in the footage.
“Don’t lose that fight that’s in you,” Singleton encourages.
Now 10 months sober, Ricchini told WSOC that the traffic stop came at a pivotal moment. “I was actually on my way to probably do something that wasn’t in my best interest,” she said.
She has since reunited with Singleton and introduced him to her son. “Look, this is one of the guys that saved my life,” she said.
Ricchini told WSOC that what stood out was how Singleton saw her as a person, not an addict. “He saw my heart,” she said. “And he saw that I had potential when so many people had counted me out.”
On Thursday, Sept. 18, the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office shared a Facebook post highlighting the encounter, writing, “Sometimes a traffic stop isn’t just about enforcing laws — it’s about kindness that changes lives.”
“Recently, Deputy Shawn Singleton had a moment with a mother recovering from a difficult time. What might’ve seemed like just another interaction turned into something she says changed her perspective on law enforcement,” the department wrote.
“Moments like these remind us that being a deputy also means showing humility, building trust, and breaking down barriers to strengthen our relationship with the community through positive interactions that can truly make a difference,” the statement added.
