Man Told By Judge Not To Drive, Arrested For Driving After Court Hearing

A Sarasota man apparently cannot help himself from getting behind the wheel of a car despite being ordered not to.

Lashay Alexander Smith, 46, 2441 Central Ave., Sarasota, appeared Tuesday before a judge for contempt charges due to driving with a suspended license and was admonished not to drive, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies watched Smith leaving the courtroom only to drive away in a white Mercury sedan and was pulled over on Golf Street where he was taken into custody and for the sixth time was charged with driving with a suspended or revoked license, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Smith celebrated his 50 arrest in Sarasota County by being booked into Sarasota County Jail where he is being held on $1,500 bond. The habitual traffic offender's history of charges also include false imprisonment, battery, selling and possessing rock cocaine, according to the sheriff's office.

About 25 of those arrests were for probation violations and contempt of court, according to the sheriff's office.