Any person who wilfully fails to appear in court as specified in a citation, a memorandum, a uniform citation and complaint or a simple notice of fine, given as provided in this chapter, is guilty of a simple misdemeanor, punishable in accordance with the standard penalty provided in section 1-4-1 of this code, regardless of the disposition of the charge upon which said person was cited. Venue shall be in the county where the defendant was to appear or in the county where said person resides. An appearance in response to a citation for a violation of this title may be made either in person or by counsel. (2000 Code § 69.07)