Trouble for Texter Who Fell Into Fountain

Potential penalty for unrelated charges may get stiffer

The Berks County woman who gained internet fame for walking into a mall fountain while texting, may face a harsher sentence in a theft case.

The Reading Eagle reported on Thursday that Cathy Cruz, 50, was removed from a special probation program.

By agreeing to a treatment program and paying restitution, offenders usually face lighter sentences.

But, authorities say Cruz has not been making the necessary restitution payments.

The case involves charges for using a co-worker’s credit cards to buy jewelry in 2007. The District Attorney’s office reported that Cruz has paid about half of the $4,177 she agreed to pay in restitution.

A new court date was set for August.

In January, Cruz was caught on tape walking into a fountain at the Berkshire Mall. She worked in a store at the mall.

β€œDo not text and walk,” Cruz said afterwards, while claiming that she never texts while driving.

The video became an internet sensation on YouTube and has been viewed more than 3.7 million times.

A security guard who posted the video online was later fired.

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