LAKE COUNTY, Fla. (WSVN) — An off-duty deputy was arrested in Central Florida after, authorities said, he drove off when he was asked to pull over, then led another deputy in a high-speed chase.
According to investigators, Orange County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Juan Morales-Padilla was driving on his motorcycle when he crossed a median to get around traffic, Wednesday night.
Moments later, a Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputy tried to pull him over.
“When he attempted to do a traffic stop, the motorcyclist took off,” said Lake County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Fred Jones.
After chasing Morales-Padilla for a while, the Lake County deputy pulled over and ran the motorcycle’s license plate. He found Morales-Padilla’s home address and tracked him down there.
Deputies responded to the home, took Morales-Padilla into custody and loaded him in the back of their squad car.
Body camera footage captured an exchange between Morales-Padilla and one of the deputies who took him into custody.
“You want to run? Seriously? Are you a cop?” said the arresting deputy
“Yeah,” responded Morales Padilla.
“Yes? So you know better,” said the arresting deputy.
Deputies said Morales-Padilla changed his clothes inside the house before coming out to them.
“You know, when people make bad choices, they acknowledge they made a bad choice afterwards. Unfortunately, it was a law enforcement officer who knows the rules, the Florida statute.”
Orange County Sheriff John Mena issued a statement after Morales-Padilla’s arrest. It reads, “These are serious allegations, and I have been clear that there will be no tolerance for criminal behavior involving deputies. At the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, we hold our deputies to the highest ethical standards, whether they are on duty or off duty.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office has since fired Morales-Padilla.
Legal experts say he should have known better.
“It’s shocking that a deputy would think that they could flee and get away from this,” said a legal expert.
Deputies said Padilla is facing charges of fleeing from a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest without violence.
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