A Leesburg man was arrested after officers pushed their way into his residence for fleeing a traffic stop and ignoring commands.
Officers responded to an empty, disabled vehicle in the roadway of U.S. Highway 441 and Glenn Ridge Drive around 1:17 a.m. Tuesday, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department.
The officers contacted the female registered owner who was observed in a nearby parking lot. At about 1:44 a.m., 34-year-old Jakob Bradley Penrod walked to the scene and met the officers and the woman. He was later identified by his suspended driver’s license, but the officers heard the woman call him by his first name, the report said.
During that time, Penrod asked if he could assist with trying to move or drive the vehicle. An officer noticed the odor of alcohol coming from his person, so he asked if he drank alcohol earlier that evening. Penrod acknowledged that he did, the report said.
After Penrod and the woman had a brief verbal argument, she advised that he was “her husband.” She requested he not drive the vehicle as he “had a suspended license.” The vehicle was towed from the roadway instead, the report said.
At about 2:13 a.m., several officers stepped out at Shamrock Bar, located at 1120 W. North Blvd., after hearing Penrod and his wife arguing from a distance. They again made contact with Penrod who was given advice not to drive the vehicle he was standing next to and getting in and out of. He stated he was not going to drive, so the officers left the bar and stayed in the area, the report said.
One of the officers later watched the area of West Newman Drive and Miller Street, and he saw a blue Hyundai passenger car drive by. He tried to get behind it and noticed the tag expired on Dec. 5, 2024. The vehicle also rolled past the white stop bar at Newman Drive and Gibson Street as well as Gibson Street and Perkins Street, the report said.
Upon trying to stop the vehicle on Gibson and Perkins Street, the vehicle continued to slowly roll. As the driver got to Miller Street, another officer positively identified Penrod as the driver. Penrod made a turn, and the vehicle sped up to flee toward U.S. Highway 441. Officers then ended the traffic stop due to department policy, the report said.
Officers were able to identify where Penrod may be due to his address being on his ID card, so they tried making contact at 1618 Hampton Rd. They heard a verbal argument at the residence and met with Penrod’s wife outside. She advised that Penrod was inside the house, and she would go get him, the report said.
After Penrod approached the door, he cracked it but refused to open it. The officers were able to positively identify Penrod as the man they approached earlier and the same one driving the vehicle that fled from the traffic stop. They tried to push the door open, but Penrod closed and locked it, the report said.
The officers explained to Penrod’s wife that she needed to let them inside, as they had probable cause for his arrest and to mitigate damage to the residence. Meanwhile, multiple commands were given to Penrod through the closed front door and windows. Penrod acknowledged the commands but refused to leave the residence, the report said.
Penrod then cracked open the door for a second time. That was when the officers pushed the door open and apprehended him. He was ultimately detained with handcuffs and placed under arrest, the report said.
A check of Penrod’s driving history showed 13 suspensions, cancellations and revocations dating from Aug. 2021 to July 2023. This included refusal to submit to breath/urine/blood tests, fleeing or attempting to elude police officer, DUI and failure to pay traffic fines, the report said.
Penrod was charged with resisting (obstructing without violence), flee/elude (marked patrol vehicle) and driving while license suspended or revoked with knowledge (third conviction felony). He was transported to Lake County Jail and released after posting $21,000 bond.
He was also arrested in July 2022 as a DUI suspect charged with trying to evade police and in March 2023 when he was stopped in a Cracker Barrel parking lot for speeding.