A Clermont man was arrested for illegally dumping two boats at a boat rental service to avoid paying fines.
Two illegally dumped boats were reported at Memories Orlando Rental, 12325 Hull Rd., Clermont, on May 1, according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies tried to make contact with the registered owner of the boats, 54-year-old Kenneth Michael Miranda, without success. The boats were ultimately red-tagged and processed for removal.
A senior officer with Lake County Code Enforcement contacted dispatch on Thursday, regarding a possible owner and the boats’ previous location. Code enforcement provided documentation and photos, showing the boats at Miranda’s house on Oak Knoll Road in Clermont on April 21. That day, he was told that the boats needed to be moved, or he would be fined, the report said.
Deputies responded to Miranda’s residence on Thursday and spoke to his sister, who stated Miranda had moved the boats several days earlier. She then went inside to retrieve him so he could provide more information, the report said.
Miranda advised that he intended to donate the boats to a company. He tried to show the deputies information on his phone that documented this process. The last contact with the company was on April 27, but no plans were made for anyone else to take possession of the boats, the report said.
When asked about the whereabouts of the boats, he stated he took them to Memories Orlando Rental. He stated he was concerned about potential fines if they remained on his property. He hoped someone would take them from where he dumped them, the report said.
Miranda was then arrested on charge of illegal dumping. The New York native was booked at Lake County Jail and released after posting $2,500 bond.