LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – A man has been taken into custody after a tire theft left a Mascotte woman dead last week, according to city officials.
In a release on Monday, the city announced that the suspected driver — identified as Brandon Lewis, 33 — had finally been arrested after roughly a week of searching.
The incident first happened early late week at Just Stop Tires in Mascotte, where surveillance footage shows Ashley Tyer jumping on the hood of a car, trying to stop a customer from driving off without paying.
Her coworker, James Kelly, told News 6 that the situation quickly escalated after a dispute over payment.
Per Kelly, he had just finished installing used tires when the customer refused to pay the full price, offering just $95, which is less than what Tyer had quoted.
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“In the process of us walking back to the shop—where the customer was supposed to come in to pay—he ended up lowering the jack, getting in the car, and driving away,” he said.
The surveillance video shows the customer nearly hitting another employee as he speeds off. Moments later, his car stalls near the street, and that’s when Tyer ends up on the hood.
“He should’ve known once she was on the hood of that car not to do that. There’s no way he could’ve been in fear of his life. He has to be held accountable,” Kelly added.
Kelly said the driver went about half a block before turning a corner, sending Tyer flying from the vehicle. She was initially placed on life support, though the shop later confirmed that she passed away after being taken off life support.
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Police announced that Lewis had been identified as the customer involved, and he now faces charges of first-degree vehicular homicide. He is held on no bond.
“This incident involved reckless and dangerous behavior, demonstrating a blatant disregard for human life,” the release reads. “Through swift and thorough investigative efforts, officers and detectives were able to identify and apprehend the individual responsible.”
In addition, the police department declared that more charges and arrests are possible as investigators continue looking into what happened.