LADY LAKE, Fla. — A traffic stop in Lady Lake Wednesday morning led to the arrest of a fugitive wanted for murder in Virginia.
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According to an incident report, two Lady Lake police officers were monitoring traffic on U.S. Highway 27 near Griffin View Dr. just before 4:30 a.m. when they attempted to stop a white Hyundai Sonata with a Virginia license plate for speeding through the area.
The driver pulled over at a nearby gas station and gave the officers a Pennsylvania license identifying him as 29-year-old Maurice T. Massey.
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After a routine check of the ID number, Lake County dispatchers alerted the officers that Massey had a warrant out of Virginia for second-degree murder. The Arlington County Police Department in Virginia confirmed the warrant and Massey was arrested.
As he was being taken into custody, the officers noted that Massey made a comment about knowing what the warrant was for, but that “it’s all wrong.” Police say Massey went on to claim he witnessed a murder but didn’t commit the crime.
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Massey was given a written warning for speeding and booked into the Lake County jail on the warrant out of Virginia.
“I’d like to commend our officers for their diligence and remind the community that even a routine traffic stop can make a difference in the safety of our community,” Lady Lake Police Chief Steve Hunt said in a statement announcing the arrest.
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Police in Virginia have not released any additional details on the circumstances of the murder investigation Massey is linked to, but told Lady Lake police they didn’t need the Hyundai Sonata he was driving for their investigation.
The car was entered into a law enforcement database as abandoned and eventually towed once police were unable to locate the owner.
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