Tumble trouble: Wanted Lake County man hid in dryer, deputies say

‘I’m little, man:’ Suspect says of his hiding place

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – A Lake County man wanted for violating his probation came clean about his hiding spot, telling deputies he was folded up in the dryer trying to avoid arrest, according to the sheriff’s office.

Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies were attempting to serve two warrants for Michael Jay Brook, 33, of Umatilla, Wednesday night and were searching his home but so far had come up high and dry.

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Body camera video shows that as deputies were speaking to Brook’s partner, he emerged from his location to the surprise of his significant other, who did not know he was in the house.

“I’m going, I’m going. I’m here,” Brook said walking into the kitchen.

“What are you doing here?” the woman said, sounding very surprised.

As he was being handcuffed, Brook told deputies “he was scared” and apologized to them as well as his girlfriend. He said when he heard they were getting the K-9s he knew his tumbling days were over.

“I was in the (expletive) dryer, man, and it opened on me,” Brook told one of the deputies, who laughed in response.

“I came out. I don’t want that dog. I remember last time,” Brook told deputies.

A deputy told Brook he was glad he came out on his own “because I don’t want to have to say, ‘Yeah, the dog found someone hiding in the dryer.’”

Asked how he fit in the household appliance, Brook told deputies, “I’m little, man. My back’s killing me though,” adding the dryer “fin” was poking him in the back.

Lake County Jail records show Brook is 5 feet, 7 inches tall.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office also found Brook’s hiding spot amusing and posted about it on Facebook.

“We guess he thought he was ‘high and dry.’ Luckily he didn’t go for a tumble,” the post read along with his mug shot.

Jail records show Brook was previously arrested on drug charges. He is held without bail in the Lake County Jail.

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