[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 03/11/20]
ALTOONA, Florida — A 19-year-old man who has never had a driver license told a Lake County Sheriff’s deputy his dog ate it, early Tuesday morning after he was pulled over for driving 102 miles per hour in a 55 miles per hour zone.
A deputy spotted a small white car traveling at a high rate of speed on County Road 445 near Pine Needle Place when he activated his radar and clocked the car at 102 miles per hour. The deputy caught up to the car and asked the driver, Claude Alan Wilkinson Jr., for his license, registration and insurance card, according to an arrest affidavit. Wilkinson quickly replied he did not have his license on him and his dog ate it. The deputy asked Wilkinson if he had a valid license and he replied, “yes,” and seemed very nervous. The deputy asked him to exit the car and ran Wilkinson’s name and found he never had a driver license.
Wilkinson consented to a search of his vehicle and deputies found three bags of marijuana and a smoking device with burnt residue. Wilkinson was taken into custody and charged with no driver license, possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia. He was released from the Lake County Jail on $7,000 bond.
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. Born and raised in Lake County, she is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She started her journalism career at LSSC, where she was editor of both student publications, The Angler and The Odyssey. Her professional career began at the Daily Commercial in 2004 where she covered cops and courts the majority of her time there until she left in 2009. Currently, along with being Editor-in-Chief of Lake Legal News, she is the Florida bureau chief for an international media organization. She has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
