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Buckingham, Fla. – March 26, 2025 – A 32-year-old Lehigh Acres man was taken into custody on Tuesday after allegedly driving the wrong way on Cemetery Road in Buckingham and then trying to escape from a Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) cruiser while handcuffed.
According to the FHP, Alex Gabriel Rivera Rodriguez was seen driving a sedan westbound in the eastbound lanes of Cemetery Road around 6:25 a.m. in an apparent attempt to pass other vehicles. Troopers initiated a traffic stop and discovered that the license plate displayed on the vehicle was not assigned or registered to that car.
Rivera Rodriguez was arrested at the scene for reckless driving and a tag violation. As troopers secured him in the back of a patrol car, they lowered the right rear window to communicate with him using Google Translate. According to the arrest report, the suspect then attempted to escape through that open window, managing to get his upper body out before troopers intercepted him and forced him back inside.
He was transported to the Lee County Jail without further incident. The Lee County Sheriff's Office booking records show Rivera Rodriguez is being held on charges of failing to register a motor vehicle, reckless driving, attempted escape, resisting an officer without violence, and attaching an unassigned license plate to a vehicle. His bond hearing is scheduled for later this week.
The FHP has not released additional details about the incident, including whether the suspect had a prior criminal record or if alcohol or drugs were involved. However, a check of public court records reveals no previous felony convictions in Lee County for Rivera Rodriguez.
Wrong-way driving remains a persistent safety concern on Florida roads. According to the Florida Department of Transportation, the state recorded an average of 75 wrong-way driving crashes per year over the past five years, with a disproportionately high number occurring on divided highways and rural roads like Cemetery Road. "These incidents are particularly dangerous because they often involve high speeds and head-on collisions," said Dr. Mark Jensen, a traffic safety researcher at the University of Florida. "The fact that this driver was trying to pass others by going the wrong way shows a severe disregard for public safety."
Local residents expressed shock at the morning incident. "I drive that road every day to get to work. It's terrifying to think someone was coming at me the wrong way," said Maria Santos, a Buckingham resident who witnessed the traffic stop. "I'm glad the troopers caught him before anyone got hurt."
The case has also raised questions about the use of Google Translate by law enforcement during interactions with non-English-speaking suspects. The FHP confirmed that the officer used the translation app to attempt to communicate with Rivera Rodriguez, who had limited English proficiency. "Technology can be a bridge, but it should never compromise officer safety," said retired FHP Sergeant John Barlow, now a criminal justice instructor at Florida Gulf Coast University. "Lowering the window for translation purposes created an opportunity for escape. Agencies need clear protocols for such situations."
Rivera Rodriguez's attorney, Maria Gonzalez of the Lee County Public Defender's Office, declined to comment on the charges. However, she noted that her client is cooperating with the investigation and that the evidence will be reviewed carefully.
The FHP encourages anyone with information about this incident or other dangerous driving behavior to contact the agency's Fort Myers office. Meanwhile, the Florida Highway Patrol continues to remind drivers to obey traffic laws and never attempt to pass on the wrong side of the road.
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