Florida woman's traffic stop raises questions about patrol car displaying Lyft decal: 'That's deceitful'

Traffic stop by patrol car with Lyft sticker

We've seen unmarked patrol cars, but one local agency confirmed some deputies may use additional measures to hide in plain sight.

ORLANDO, Fla. - We've seen unmarked patrol cars, but one local agency confirmed some deputies may use additional measures to hide in plain sight.

Sherry McGuire doesn't deny she was speeding down State Road 528, and she understands she got a ticket because she broke the law.

"Yes, I was speeding. I was. I admit it," said McGuire. "He gave me a ticket for going 64 in a 55."

However, she was confused about the vehicle the Orange County Deputy used to pull her over.

"Like a black or gray Chrysler minivan. It had a Lyft logo right in the center of the windshield," said McGuire, "It's like, okay. This is weird."

McGuire snapped a picture and shared it with FOX 35. The picture shows flashing patrol lights in the vehicle's grille and what appears to be a Lyft sticker logo right in the front.

"I was just completely shocked. I told them, I'm like, 'That's lying, that's deceitful, and it's not safe for the general public,'" said McGuire.

FOX 35 sent the picture to the Orange County Sheriff's Office. They confirmed it is real.

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We were told a deputy from its Fugitive Task Force was working a traffic detail on Sunday morning and stopped McGuire for speeding.

They said, "He placed the Lyft sign in the vehicle for more of an incognito appearance in his fugitive role. But to be clear, he is NOT a Lyft driver."

Criminal Defense Attorney Stacey Felter says law enforcement isn't breaking the law by pretending to work for a ride-hailing service while on duty.

"They have every ability to do that and use any tools that they find that are necessary to prevent crimes or to patrol," said Felter.

Although law enforcement can, McGuire questions if they should.

She says she pulled over because she saw the flashing lights but says the Lyft sticker made her question if she was being stopped by a real deputy.

"There's people that impersonate officers all the time," said McGuire, "How do I know that wasn't somebody just impersonating an officer trying to pull me over? I mean, he looked legit, but that is definitely not safe."

FOX 35 asked the sheriff's office what someone should do if they aren't sure they're dealing with a real deputy. They suggest:

Call 9-1-1 and have a dispatcher verify it's a legit stop.
Drive slowly to a well-lit, public area…but don't leave the stop.
Ask for the officer's name and badge number.

Lyft shared the following statement with FOX 35: "We are reaching out to the Orange County Sheriff’s office to gather more information about this situation."