City of Sweetwater v. Zaldivar

The City of S.weetwater, in a forfeiture action, appeals from an order quashing a rule to show cause and returning a vehicle to its owner. For the following reasons, we reverse.

On December 29, 1987, officers of the Sweetwater Police Department stopped a 1986 Porsche whose driver had committed a traffic violation. The driver had no Florida driver’s license and identified himself as Florido Mendez. One officer recognized the driver to be Peter Zaldivar, a federal fugitive. Zaldivar allegedly had purchased the Porsche for cash from Palmetto Sports Cars and had applied for title to the vehicle…