AUBURNDALE, FL — Auburndale Police Department is calling for a formal retraction from The Ledger following an investigative report involving a former police officer facing a $5 million federal lawsuit over the arrest of a professional water skier whose Tesla video contradicted portions of the officer’s arrest affidavit.
In a statement released Tuesday, October 20, the department accused The Ledger of publishing inaccurate and misleading information in an article written by journalist Gary White titled “Exclusive: Arrested in Auburndale, her Tesla video revealed the truth.”
The original article detailed a federal lawsuit filed by Elizabeth Hall against former Auburndale Police Officer Deven Persaud following a September 5, 2025, traffic stop that resulted in Hall being arrested on felony charges of resisting arrest with violence and battery on a law enforcement officer.
According to The Ledger’s reporting, video recorded by Hall’s Tesla contradicted several claims Persaud made in his arrest affidavit, including allegations that Hall repeatedly slammed on her brakes, forcing the officer to maneuver his patrol vehicle to avoid a collision.
The video evidence ultimately contributed to the State Attorney’s Office dropping all criminal charges against Hall on April 22, 2026. Persaud subsequently resigned following a second internal investigation that sustained multiple allegations of misconduct, including falsification of reports or records.
However, Auburndale Police officials are now challenging several details published in White’s article, particularly the timeline of the department’s first internal investigation.
According to the department, the initial investigation began September 26, 2025, rather than November 10, 2025, as reported by The Ledger.
Police officials cited Florida Statute 112.532, which generally establishes a 180-day deadline for completing certain administrative investigations involving law enforcement officers before disciplinary action can be taken.
The department maintains that the deadline expired March 25, 2026, and that investigators were unable to complete their investigation because they were denied access to critical video evidence and opportunities to conduct interviews.
“Without the critically needed evidence and lack of cooperation, the clock ran out and the case had to be closed,” the department stated.
According to Auburndale Police, investigators eventually received a copy of the Tesla video from the State Attorney’s Office around April 17, 2026. After reviewing the footage, the department says another administrative investigation was immediately opened, resulting in Persaud resigning in lieu of termination.
The department also disputed The Ledger’s characterization of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s involvement in a separate investigation involving former Sgt. Tristen Lahr.
Police officials maintained that the investigation was conducted entirely by the Auburndale Police Department, which sustained the allegations and terminated Lahr. According to the statement, FDLE received the department’s findings only after the investigation had concluded.
“We regret the information provided to The Ledger was inaccurately reported and have formally requested a retraction,” the department stated.
The original lawsuit, filed in July in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, seeks $5 million in damages. Hall alleges that the arrest caused significant emotional distress, reputational damage, and lost professional opportunities in competitive water skiing.
The department’s October 20 statement did not directly challenge the existence of the lawsuit or the dismissal of Hall’s criminal charges. Its objections focused primarily on the reporting of the internal investigations and the agencies involved.
The discrepancies between the newspaper’s reporting and the department’s official response remain unresolved. The statement does not indicate whether The Ledger has agreed to issue a retraction. Nothing further at this time.
SOURCE: Auburndale Police Department, Police Chief Terry I. Storie, The Ledger news article by Gary White, federal court records, and Florida Statute 112.532.
