A Leesburg man was arrested Tuesday for impersonating his brother during a traffic stop.
Police observed a gold Buick passenger car traveling eastbound in the left lane on U.S. Hwy. 441 at 7:53 p.m., according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
The officer followed 63-year-old Raymond Tolbert for about one mile, the report said. Tolbert never made any effort to merge into the slower lanes of travel so traffic could pass. It appeared he was attempting to pace traffic in the other lanes, causing traffic to back up.
A traffic stop was initiated a short time later, during which Tolbert provided the name “Bennie Tolbert” and an incorrect date of birth. A check revealed that Bennie Tolbert’s license was suspended. Due to this information and the similarity between the photo and Tolbert, he was placed under arrest.
At Tolbert’s request, a family member was contacted to pick up the vehicle while the officer transported him to the Lake County Jail. While the officer was finishing a citation, Tolbert admitted to providing a false name and date of birth. He then gave the correct information and stated Bennie was his brother, the report said.
Another check revealed that Tolbert never had a driver’s license and only had a valid Florida ID card. It also stated he was on probation for burglary and grand theft, the report stated.
The Georgia native was charged with criminal use of personal information. He was also issued citations for never having a valid driver’s license and providing a false name to law enforcement. Bond was set at $4,000.
