TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The son of Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma was arrested Wednesday after fleeing a traffic stop at a high speed.
In a statement to WFLA.com, Sheriff Lemma said a Seminole County deputy attempted to stop his 19-year-old son, Dylan Lemma, in an unincorporated area of Winter Springs after witnessing the teen and another driver speeding.
Deputies said Lemma did not stop his Ford Mustang and instead fled from the deputy “at a high rate of speed.” They did not elaborate.
Ultimately, the deputy gave up the chase “as a vehicle pursuit would not be permitted for a traffic violation,” the sheriff’s office said.
“I firmly believe that my family should be held to the same standard as anyone else in the community, and while I love my son and family dearly, they too are not above the law,” Sheriff Lemma wrote. “My son and family also understand this, and he has been complying with the investigation.”
The sheriff’s office said Dylan turned himself in on charges of fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer and reckless driving.
“We will have this investigation and the legal process play out in the same way it would with any other member of our community,” Sheriff Lemma added. “At the same time, we will also handle this as a personal family matter.”
The sheriff’s office said it plans to release the dash camera video at a later date.
