An unlicensed driver from Nicaragua was arrested after police stopped him for speeding in Fruitland Park.
Police observed a white Chevrolet sedan speeding northbound on Dixie Avenue at about 6:09 a.m. Wednesday, according to an arrest report from the Fruitland Park Police Department. The driver, later identified as 28-year-old Kevin Estarlin Soza-Ortega, was traveling 46 mph in a 30-mph zone.
The officer initiated a traffic stop and asked for Soza-Ortega’s license. He said he didn’t speak English, but he provided his Nicaraguan passport upon request. Using a translation application, the officer was able to learn that Soza-Ortega haslived in the United States for about eight months, the report said.
Soza-Ortega stated he was in the process of getting a Florida driver’s license, but he had not been issued one at the time of the stop. The report noted he has lived in the United States long enough to purchase and register a vehicle and maintain insurance, the report said.
Based on the totality of the investigation, Soza-Ortega was charged with driving without a license. He was also issued a civil citation for unlawful speed. Soza-Ortega was taken to the Lake County Jail and released after posting $500 bond.
