Driver claims police enticed him to race, revved engine

Martin E. Comas | Sentinel Staff Writer TAVARES -- A motorist mentioned in an Orlando Sentinel article Thursday about a police decoy car said he thought the driver of a red Dodge Charger that pulled up alongside him at a traffic light on U.S. Highway 441 was looking for a race.

It turned out the Charger's driver was a Tavares cop. Raymond Lind said he didn't know that and thought the Charger's driver wanted to race, and so Lind sped off when the light turned green.

"I thought he's out there drag racing," said Lind, 46, of Eustis. "He was all over the gas pedal."

Lind made the comments on Thursday, the day a Sentinel story was published about law-enforcement decoy cars and Tavares police using the 350-horsepower Charger.

Lind could not be reached for comment Wednesday when the article was written.

Police said Lind flew off after the traffic light turned green and then cut across three lanes of U.S. 441 while looking back and waving on May 23.

Capt. Danny Feleccia, who was driving the Charger, flicked on his lights and pulled Lind over. He was given a verbal warning, but no ticket.

But Lind said that Tavares police lured him into speeding by revving the engine at the traffic light.

"If he was not out there provoking people, I would never do that," said Lind, a mechanic. "That was entrapment."

Feleccia disagreed.

"In no way, shape or form are we trying to entice [drivers to speed]," he said.

Feleccia said he didn't notice Lind's Buick Regal at the traffic light.

"I never saw him. It wasn't until I took off -- and I didn't take off that fast -- that I saw him speed off," he said. "He went flying by us, and you can't do that."

By Mikethesike