SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. --
Seminole County deputies were involved in a case of mistaken identity early Thursday morning. Deputies used stop sticks to stop a car they thought was involved in a crime, but it turned out to be an innocent family of three.
The family was traveling from Jacksonville, but when they got to SR-417 they were pulled over in dramatic fashion, knowing all along that they had done nothing wrong.
"I'm very lucky that we didn't crash and that nobody was hurt," said Kimberly Paige, a passenger in the vehicle that was stopped.
The family from Jacksonville was at the wrong place at the wrong time when a deputy used stop sticks to bring their silver Dodge Charger to a halt early Thursday morning.
"They pulled me out of the car. They immediately handcuffed me. They didn't give me any explanation. The only thing I was thinking about was my son, who was in the backseat of the car," said Paige of the incident.
Deputies were looking for a similar car involved in criminal activity in the Sanford area that was spotted getting on SR-417. When Paige, her fiance and son drove by, the deputy thought they matched the description of the vehicle they were looking for. Paige was put in the backseat of the patrol car.
"And that's when I hear them over the intercom saying that they were looking for a Mustang with two black suspects. I immediately knew it wasn't me and that they had the wrong person so I started screaming," Paige added.
The sheriff's office admitted it made a mistake. They said that at 2:00am, with a car traveling at 70 miles-per-hour with its headlights on, it is a challenge to distinguish a Dodge Charger from a Ford Mustang in a matter of seconds.
"We still feel strongly that it is a much safer method of trying to apprehend criminals than chasing them at high speeds around the county," said Lt. Barry Smith of the Seminole County Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff's office said it plans to make up for the mistake. They gave the family a vehicle to use in the interim while they try to repair the blown out tires.
Paige said she is considering a lawsuit against the Seminole County Sheriff's Office.
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