A 28-year-old resident of The Villages was arrested after tossing a burning cigarette from his car window.
A Sumter County sheriff’s deputy dispatched to investigate a report of a reckless driver spotted a dark-colored four-door Toyota at about 2 p.m. Tuesday on U.S. 301 north of County Road 466. As the deputy began pursuing the vehicle, it came within inches of striking another vehicle. The driver, identified as Brian Dean Lea who lives at 9336 SE 173rd Hyacinth St. in the Village of Springdale, tossed a burning cigarette out the window as a traffic stop was initiated, according to an arrest report.
A check revealed Lea had been arrested last week on a charge of driving while license suspended and was free on bond.
Lea was arrested on charges of driving while license suspended (second offense) and throwing a lighted cigarette which could cause a wildfire.
He was jailed without bond at the Sumter County Detention Center.
