Winter Springs Police Tesla Video: Fleeing vs. Not Seeing the Lights

A driver says he never saw the lights. An officer says the driver was trying to get away. In most cases, that's one person's word against another's. In a Winter Springs, Florida case that went viral this week, a third witness settled it: the cameras on the driver's Tesla.

This explainer covers what news outlets have reported about the case, what Florida's fleeing and eluding law actually says, and what any driver can do if they aren't sure whether a car behind them is police. It's general information, not legal advice. The internal investigation is ongoing, and no one should be treated as guilty of anything based on a viral clip.

What happened in Winter Springs, according to news reports

All facts below come from WKMG News 6 (ClickOrlando) and two FOX 35 Orlando reports (Sept. 17, 2026 and Oct. 20, 2026).

• The encounter. According to News 6, it happened on Aug. 7, 2024, after Kevin Finley dropped his children off and drove home. FOX 35 reports that Finley passed a vehicle stopped in a median, which he believed was disabled or making a U-turn. An officer then tried to stop him, but Finley said he never realized police were behind him.
• What the Tesla recorded. FOX 35 reports that the Tesla footage showed "only a brief moment" when the patrol car's emergency lights were visible before curves in the road and nearby buildings blocked the view of what it describes as an unmarked vehicle. News 6 says the rear camera shows the officer, heading the opposite direction, activating his lights and turning around "far off in the distance."
• The officer's view. According to FOX 35, the officer interpreted the situation differently, saying on camera, "He's trying to take off on me."
• At the home. Finley told FOX 35 he heard sirens after arriving home, reopened his garage door and was met by officers with guns drawn. News 6 describes body-camera audio of an officer ordering him to put his hands up, walk toward him and get on his knees. Finley repeatedly told officers he hadn't seen the lights or heard the siren.
• The court outcome. The outlets describe it slightly differently. FOX 35 reports he faced fleeing and reckless driving charges and that a judge acquitted him after reviewing the video, before the case went to a jury. News 6 reports he was charged with reckless driving and found not guilty on July 16, 2026. Both say the case took nearly two years.
• The department's response. On Oct. 20, 2026, Chief Matthew Tracht said in a statement that "while the investigation is still ongoing, the individual involved is no longer employed by the City of Winter Springs," and that the conduct "did not meet the standards and expectations" he has for officers. News 6 and FOX 35 both report the officer resigned. FOX 35 reports Finley plans to file a civil lawsuit.

In its September report, FOX 35 said the chief declined to discuss the case because of pending litigation but noted that "every vehicle stop carries a significant amount of uncertainty" for officers.

The bodycam and Tesla video have been shared widely on social media. We don't host or embed that footage. Read the linked news reports for the full coverage.

Fleeing and eluding in Florida: what section 316.1935 says

Florida's law is section 316.1935, Florida Statutes, "Fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer." In short:

• Subsection (1) makes it unlawful for a driver, "having knowledge that he or she has been ordered to stop" by a law enforcement officer, to "willfully" refuse or fail to stop, or to stop and then willfully flee. It's a third-degree felony.
• Subsection (2) covers willfully fleeing an officer in a patrol vehicle "with agency jurisdictional markings prominently displayed on the vehicle, with siren and lights activated." Also a third-degree felony.
• Subsection (3) raises it to a second-degree felony when the fleeing involves high speed or "wanton disregard" for safety, and a first-degree felony with a 3-year mandatory minimum if someone is seriously injured or killed.
• Subsection (4) covers aggravated fleeing after leaving the scene of a crash.
• Penalties beyond prison. A conviction brings a driver license revocation of 1 to 5 years, the court can't withhold adjudication, and the vehicle can be seized as contraband.

So, is fleeing and eluding a felony in Florida? Under this statute, yes, at every level.

"Willfully" and "knowledge": why not seeing the lights matters

Two words carry most of the weight: knowledge and willfully. The statute isn't written to punish a driver who simply didn't stop. It's written around a driver who knew an officer was ordering them to stop and chose not to.

That's why "I never saw the lights" isn't just an excuse. It goes to an element of the offense. Whether a particular driver knew is a factual question for a judge or jury, and it depends on things like:

• How long the lights and siren were actually on
• Whether the lights were visible from the driver's position (distance, curves, buildings, traffic)
• Whether the police vehicle was marked or unmarked
• How the driver behaved: speeding up and turning off, or driving normally to a destination

None of this means every "I didn't see them" claim is true. It means the facts matter, and courts look at them.

Why dashcam, Tesla and other third-party video matters

Bodycams record what's in front of the officer. They usually don't show what a driver could see in their mirrors a mile earlier. In this case, according to the news reports, the car's own cameras filled that gap.

Video from dashcams, built-in car cameras, doorbell cameras, business security systems and bystanders' phones can:

• Show timing (when the lights came on and for how long)
• Show sight lines that a written report can't
• Corroborate or contradict anyone's account, including the driver's

Footage is easy to lose. Many systems overwrite automatically, so drivers who want it often save it right away. Our guide on how to watch police bodycam footage critically covers what any single camera can and can't show. If you want your own camera, our gear guide lists what to look for in a dashcam.

What to do if you don't see the lights, or aren't sure it's police

You can't respond to lights you never saw. But if you do notice a car behind you and aren't sure, the Winter Springs Police Department's own guidelines say:

1. Slow down, pull over safely on the right and put on your hazard lights.
2. If the vehicle is unmarked and you can't identify the driver as a uniformed officer, keep your hazards on and drive below the speed limit to a well-lit, populated location.
3. You can call 911 to verify whether it's a police vehicle.

The Florida Highway Patrol's unmarked vehicle policy points the same way. It tells troopers to let motorists proceed to a well-lit or populated area, and says a driver who doesn't stop immediately but isn't trying to flee should be followed safely, considering that the driver may be afraid.

Once stopped, the same Winter Springs guidelines say to keep your hands visible and not argue on the roadside. If you think you were treated unfairly, you can file a complaint or talk to an attorney. Our Know Your Rights page and detained vs. arrested explainer cover the basics.

How to request bodycam footage in Florida

Florida's public records law says city and county records are open "for personal inspection and copying by any person." To request bodycam footage, send a written request to the agency's records custodian with the date, time, location and any report or case number.

There are limits. Section 119.071(2)(l) makes some recordings confidential, such as those inside a private home, but it requires agencies to release the relevant portions to a person recorded in the footage. Other exemptions, such as the one for active criminal investigative information, can also delay or limit release. Our guide on how police bodycam footage becomes public explains exemptions, fees and appeals, and the FOIA letter generator drafts a request for you.

More traffic stops on The Chest Mount

• Peoria, IL: the "show vs. hand over" license argument, or watch the footage
• Buffalo Grove, IL: "Am I being detained?", or watch the footage

Know of a traffic stop where the footage hasn't been released? Submit a case and we'll look into requesting it. Everyone involved in any case we cover is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.