LAKELAND, Fla. – What began as a check of a license plate at a traffic light quickly escalated into an unusual investigation and two arrests for a Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) deputy on Saturday, November 1st, at the intersection of US 92 and Combee Road.
A PCSO deputy, while stopped at the light, ran the tag of the red 2015 Hyundai in front of him. The query revealed the tag was actually registered to a trailer, prompting the deputy to conduct a traffic stop on the sedan.
The driver was identified as 56-year-old Thomas Stokes of Lakeland. Stokes admitted he did not possess a valid driver’s license, which was later confirmed to be suspended/revoked.
When questioned about the mismatched tag, Stokes offered a surprising explanation, stating the car was gifted to him by a man he only knew as “Lucius,” and the tag was already affixed.
Despite the seemingly improbable nature of the story, the deputy launched a deeper investigation.
- The Hyundai was not reported as stolen, but it was registered to a woman named Taunya, who confirmed ownership but stated the car belonged to her son.
- Contact with the son, who had recently moved to North Carolina, revealed he had left the non-running vehicle with his landlord, a man named Lucius, and told him to dispose of it.
Stokes’ Story Checks Out, But Arrest Still Made
In a turn of events, Stokes’ narrative proved to be true regarding the vehicle’s origin. However, the initial violation stood, and Stokes was arrested and charged with driving while license suspended/revoked.
His passenger, 39-year-old Amy Eddy of Lakeland, was also detained after a background check showed she had an active warrant out of Marion County for Violation of Probation for Petit Theft.
Both Stokes and Eddy were transported to the Sheriff’s Processing Center, and the red Hyundai was towed from the scene.
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