Orange County deputies crack down on school zone speeders

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County sheriff's deputies were out cracking down on drivers speeding in school zones, Thursday.

Within the first five minutes of the sheriff's operation on south Goldenrod Road, a car was stopped because deputies said the driver was going 26 mph in a 20 mph school zone. They said the driver also made an illegal lane change.
    
Deputies said Anibal Laboy was caught going 11 mph over the speed limit in the school zone. His son said Laboy was just following the other traffic, but Laboy said he just wasn't paying enough attention.

"I have to be more focused on the traffic," said Laboy.

Orange County deputy Norman Lewis, who's on the sheriff's motor patrol, said he cut the driver a break and gave him a $154 ticket instead of a $304 ticket.

Lewis said he's seen and heard it all.

"They got crossing guards. Half the time people don't even see the crossing guards and they have eight to 10 kids with them," said Lewis.

Deputies stopped Justin Wojciekofsky after they said he was going so fast he almost hit two people, before he hit the brakes.

"The motorcyclist had to stop and put his foot down. The crossing guard had to brace himself because he almost got hit also," said Lewis.

While Lewis was writing out a $328 ticket, Wojciekofsky admintted to Channel 9's Kathi Belich that he was speeding.

"How fast were you going?" Belich asked.

"45," said Wojciekofsky.

"How fast are you supposed to go through school zone?" asked Belich.

"20," said Wojciekofsky.

Deputies caught two drivers doing more than 50 mph through the school zone. One accused the deputy of being on the phone and said there was no way the officer could have clocked him at 52 mph.

Deputies said a woman doing 45 mph in the school zone tried to take off after she stopped.

"She actually stopped then tried to drive through and she told me she didn't have her glasses on and couldn't see me when I flagged her in," said Sgt. Brett Parnell of the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

Her license did not indicate she's supposed to wear glasses to drive, but deputies said because she made the claim she now has to have her eyes examined.

Deputies said drivers need to realize especially when they're passing through school zones that it's not all about them.

Deputies said they stopped 13 drivers and handed out 20 citations in a one hour period.

WFTV