A Belleview man with numerous prior traffic violations was arrested after being caught operating a motorized bicycle without a license.
Police observed 51-year-old Joseph William Waldron on a bicycle without a working rear indicator light on East North Boulevard at about 12:51 a.m. Wednesday, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department.
The officer then initiated a bicycle violation stop, during which he heard the sound of a gas-powered engine. When asked about this, Waldron said the bike had a 49cc gas-powered engine. However, Florida law states that a bike with less than 50cc is considered a moped, which requires a class E operator’s license or motorcycle only license, the report said.
A check of Waldron’s driving history showed that not only did he not have those qualifications, but he had numerous suspensions and revocations. He had a mix of 17 DUI suspensions, permanent revocations and habitual traffic offender charges dating back to 2005, according to the report.
As a result of this discovery, Waldron was arrested and charged with DWLSR for DUI (habitual offender). He was taken to the Lake County Jail and released after posting $10,000 bond.
