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Published on Friday, January 22, 2004
in the Fort Myers News-Press
Florida Highway Patrol investigators arrested a Lehigh Senior High teacher Thursday, accusing him of handing out two unauthorized waivers so the applicants could get their driver’s licenses without taking required tests.
Russell B. Wheeler, 45, of 6869 Kimberly Trace, Fort Myers, who was charged with two counts of driver’s license fraud, was taken into custody at his home, FHP officials said. He was booked into Lee County Jail at 9 a.m. and was released five hours later after posting $5,000 bail, jail officials said.
Wheeler teaches driver’s education at Lehigh Senior, but also operates At the Wheel Driving School in Fort Myers, the FHP said. The waiver allegations date to Aug. 6 and involve a 29-year-old woman and a high school student who does not attend Lehigh, said FHP Lt. Paul Henry.
Both students received training at Wheeler’s school, according to Henry.
“The waivers were only for his students at school,” said FHP Sgt. Dwayne Cooper. “He was using resources at the school to benefit his company.”
Handing out unauthorized Driver Education Licensing Assistance Program (DELAP) waivers violates a state statute that makes it illegal for anyone to unlawfully supply or assist in supplying anyone with a driver’s license.
The third-degree felony carries up to a $5,000 fine and five years in prison.
When Wheeler was phoned at his home for comment, a woman who refused to give her name said, “He hasn’t done anything wrong,” and that he would contact a lawyer to discuss his options.
The personnel department for the school plans to conduct its own investigation of Wheeler, said Terri Kinsey, the district’s assistant director for communications.
Kinsey did not know whether Wheeler would face disciplinary action before the investigation is complete. He was not at school Thursday, so no discussions took place, she said.
“Our understanding is that the fraud (charge) is against his private business that he had,” Kinsey said. “The only affiliation he has with us is that he’s a teacher.”