The son of Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma was arrested after showing up to the county jail with his attorney just hours after he fled from police who witnessed him street racing.
Dylan Lemma, 19, was taken into custody on Wednesday, July 19, after he and his attorney, David Webster, reported to the John E. Polk Correctional Facility located at 211 Eslinger Way in Sanford.
According to an arrest report filed in Seminole County, a deputy with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office heard two vehicles “accelerating rapidly” on East Lake Drive in Casselberry at around 8:14 a.m. on Wednesday.
In his report, the deputy says that he heard both vehicles before he observed them visually. When the white Nissan and white, newer model Ford Mustang came into view, the deputy notes that he believed the “vehicles to be racing” on the roadway.
The deputy conducted a U-turn and began tailing the vehicles. As he made a U-turn, he heard both vehicles begin to “accelerate further,” according to the report.
As the Nissan slowed down, the Ford Mustang continued to accelerate at a high rate of speed. The deputy activated his emergency lights and sirens to pull over the Mustang, but it kept traveling.
The deputy says he heard the engine of the Ford Mustang continue to accelerate, despite his emergency lights and sirens being activated. As the two approached the intersection of East Lake Drive and Tuskawilla Road, the deputy says he observed the Mustang swerve outward and fishtail, momentarily losing control.
The deputy says the Mustang continued to drive “in a reckless manner southbound on Tuskawilla Road.” At that point, he discontinued his attempt to perform a traffic stop on the vehicle.
Upon further investigation, the deputy discovered that his patrol vehicle’s license plate reader had captured the license plate belonging to the Nissan. The vehicle was registered to Lemma’s girlfriend.
After arranging to speak with the girlfriend, the deputy was told eventually told that she would not be issuing a statement by her attorney, Matthew R. Bark.
Later that afternoon, the deputy was contacted by Lemma, who informed him that he was at the correctional facility with his legal counsel.
During an interview, Lemma acknowledged that he noticed the patrol vehicles before he fled the scene. He told police that after he was involved in a motor vehicle accident recently, his parents informed him that he was “at risk of losing his vehicle privileges.” As a result, Lemma said he “decided to not slow down nor stop.”
Lemma admitted to continuing to accelerate at a high rate of speed in an attempt to flee. He also admitted to weaving in between several vehicles at a high rate of speed in an attempt to flee.
According to the report, Lemma expressed remorse during the interview and was “extremely apologetic.” He told authorities that he was afraid to lose his vehicle privileges due to the Mustang being his “dream car.”
Lemma was taken into custody and was charged with fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer and reckless driving.
In a statement issued through social media on Wednesday afternoon, Sheriff Lemma stated that his family “should be held to the same standard as anyone else in the community.”
“While I love my son and family dearly, they too are not above the law,” said Lemma.
Since that statement has been issued, a notice of confidentiality has been filed in the case and Lemma’s personal information, including his home address, has been redacted. His mug shot has not been made available to the public.
“We will have this investigation and the legal process play out in the same way it would with any other member of our community. At the same time, we will also handle this as a personal family matter,” said Sheriff Lemma in his statement.