- A former Auburndale Police officer is being sued for $5 million over an arrest based on an inaccurate affidavit.
- Video from the driver’s Tesla contradicted the officer’s report, leading prosecutors to drop all charges.
- The officer resigned after a second internal investigation sustained allegations of improper conduct, including falsifying reports.
A former Auburndale police officer faces a lawsuit over an inaccurate arrest affidavit that yielded his resignation in April following an internal review.
Elizabeth Hall, a professional water skier, filed the lawsuit in federal court against Deven Persaud over a traffic stop in September 2025 that resulted in her arrest. In the complaint, Hall, then 20, alleged that the arrest and surrounding publicity caused her severe emotional and reputational harm and loss of income.
Hall is seeking $5 million in damages. Her lawyer, William M. Powell of Fort Myers, filed the case in July in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida…