In Florida, when a 17-year-old is charged with a felony for fleeing law enforcement, the charge typically stems from Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Law Enforcement Officer under Florida Statute § 316.1935.
The teen and an unidentified male passenger were on the road just before 3 a.m. on Sept. 11 and fled an attempted traffic stop by a Lakeland police officer, his arrest report said.
A state trooper heard the call to watch out for his vehicle, a Dodge Avenger, and shortly after, saw that a license plate reader pinged the car at Old Combee Road and E Lake Parker Drive.
The trooper wrote that the car went by him just minutes later, and the pursuit began as the driver continued fleeing, the report said.
The teen turned into an apartment complex before quickly making a U-turn and getting back onto Old Combee Road.
The trooper then performed a PIT maneuver, successfully bringing the car to a stop.
After the pursuit ended, police learned the plate attached to the car was actually assigned to a different vehicle, and the Dodge Avenger was unregistered.
The FHP report charged the teen driver with felony fleeing and eluding, but said additional charges would be coming from the Lakeland Police Department.
Under Florida law, fleeing or eluding police is classified as a felony regardless of the specific circumstances, though severity increases based on aggravating factors:
- Third-Degree Felony (Basic Fleeing): Activated when a driver fails to stop after being ordered to do so by a marked law enforcement vehicle with lights and sirens activated. Carrying up to 5 years in prison and mandatory driver’s license revocation.
- Aggravated Fleeing / High-Speed Eluding: Escalates to a second-degree felony (up to 15 years) or first-degree felony (up to 30 years) if the flee involves high speed, reckless driving, property damage, or injury to others.
- Direct Adult Direct-File or Juvenile Offense: Depending on prior history or aggravating circumstances, Florida prosecutors can either process the charges through the juvenile assessment system or “direct-file” the 17-year-old to adult court as an adult.
If you are following a specific local incident involving a teenager fleeing the Lakeland Police Department or Polk County Sheriff’s Office, details can vary depending on whether additional charges were filed (such as Grand Theft Auto, reckless endangerment, or resisting without violence).