ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) - A northwest Missouri woman who went to her county courthouse to pay a fine one day before her scheduled court appearance ended up stuck in an elevator instead.
 
The St. Joseph News-Press reports Ruth Potts was on her way to St. Joseph Municipal Court around 4 p.m. Tuesday when the elevator at the Buchanan County Courthouse got stuck.
 
A courthouse maintenance worker attempted to get the elevator door open before calling the St. Joseph Fire Department to help.
 
The Municipal Court office was closed by the time Potts was able to exit the elevator after firefighters got the door open half an hour later after she got stuck.
 
Potts says she had a court date Wednesday but was trying to pay her fine early.