California woman thanks officer for writing traffic ticket

A woman in California is thanking a police officer for writing her a traffic ticket.

Rhonda Lantz even thinks that the ticket saved her life.

You see, she never wore her seat belt. That was, until Officer Luis Valenzuela pulled her over for the violation.

She immediately changed her habit after that and just a few days later, her truck blew a tire and rolled over on a highway.

Lantz walked away with only minor cuts and bruises - because she was buckled in.

Earlier this week, Lantz had a chance to thank the officer in person.

"Thank you so much. If it wasn't for you, I would not be here today," she told him.

Officer Valenzuela says this was a first for him.

"Luckily, her decision to wear the seat belt saved her life probably," he said.

He's been on the force for 12 years and no one had ever hugged him for writing a ticket.