Driver Katelyn Ricchini credits a sheriff’s deputy for a pivotal moment that helped her turn her life arou
A routine traffic stop in North Carolina took an unexpected turn for Katelyn Ricchini, ultimately giving her a chance to change her life.
Bodycam footage from March, shared by the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office, shows Deputy Shawn Singleton pulling over Ricchini for speeding, according to ABC affiliate WSOC and NBC affiliate WRAL. At the time, Ricchini was returning home from church.
In the video, Singleton says, “I stopped you at 61 in a 45,” to which Ricchini responds, “You didn’t put your lights on until after I slowed down. I was going the speed limit.”
Singleton calmly replies, “No, but I clocked you at 61 and a 45 I didn’t stop you there. So what’s with the attitude? Just curious.”
Ricchini asked, “I’m not allowed to have bad days?”
“Everyone is entitled to a bad day,” Singleton answered. “I can understand that completely … but I’m trying to be nice and courteous to you … and I’m getting a lot of heat.”
Ricchini, visibly emotional, admitted she couldn’t stand cops due to her past experiences.
After running her license, Singleton returned and told her, “This is a warning ticket for you to slow down. That’s it. No court date, no fines, no nothing. I’ll ask you pay attention to speed limit signs.”
When he checked on her well-being, Ricchini confessed, “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 asked, “Do you want to hug?” She said yes. The two embraced, and Ricchini shared that she had moved to North Carolina to escape an abusive relationship and work on her sobriety, leaving her 5-year-old son behind to rebuild her life.
“I never hugged a cop before,” Ricchini said in the footage.
“Don’t lose that fight that’s in you,” Singleton encouraged her.
Now 10 months sober, Ricchini told WSOC she had been “ready to give up” when she was pulled over. “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, saying, “Look, this is one of the guys that saved my life.”
Ricchini also shared that Singleton treated her as a person rather than an addict. “He saw my heart,” she said. “And he saw that I had potential when so many people had counted me out.”
The Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office highlighted the story on Facebook on Sept. 18, 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 post continued.
“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 department concluded.
