Published on Tuesday, February 28, 2006
in the Local 6 News

Habitual Traffic Offenders Remain On Central Fla. Roads

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Thousands of habitual traffic offenders who have had their licenses revoked or suspended for one reason or another continue to drive on Central Florida roads, a Problem Solvers investigation revealed. The report featured a routine police traffic stop of a 23-year-old woman who was found to be driving with her license suspended.

Officers said Monique Wright's arrest means she will be classified as a habitual traffic offender.

"She's got two convictions of driving with her license suspended," Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Kyle Barron said. "Basically, since 2003, she hasn't had a license at all."

"Your license is suspended and you're out here driving?" Problem Solver Nancy Alvarez asked.

"No, my license is not suspended," Wright said. "Somebody stole my wallet and he's using my name."

Alvarez said a court judge will hear Wright's explanation, but even if her license is revoked, Barron predicted the woman would likely be back behind the wheel.

"The court may issue a lock device for their car but that doesn't stop them from getting someone else's car and driving that," Barron said.

The report also featured Dawn O'Brien, who was nearly killed when she was hit by a car driven by Shane Smith in 2000. Smith was charged with drunken driving in the crash.

"The right side of my brain was hemorrhaging, it was bleeding," O'Brien said. "They had to perform brain surgery. If not, I may not have lived."

O'Brien is fighting for tougher laws to get dangerous drivers off the streets.

"But it is an uphill battle when you consider that there is not a single law enforcement agency in Central Florida with a full-time officer devoted to tracking down habitual traffic offenders," Alvarez said.

"Due to the staffing issues with FHP and Orange County, with us being thin, we're not able to fill that full-time position," Barron said.

Troopers said each year, hundreds of crashes are caused by drivers who do not have a valid license.

In Orange County, the report found that there are nearly 3,000 habitual traffic offenders or drivers who had their licenses pulled after numerous moving violations, DUI or convictions from driving with a suspended license. Many are still on the road, Alvarez said.

The report ranked Central Florida counties by the number of revoked licenses:

• Orange County -- 2,829 revoked licenses
• Brevard County -- 1,915 revoked licenses
• Volusia County -- 1,748 revoked licenses
• Seminole County -- 932 revoked licenses
• Lake County -- 905 revoked licenses
• Osceola County -- 452 revoked licenses

Alvarez said catching habitual offenders would be easier if more agencies had full-time positions devoted to the drivers.