WINTER GARDEN, Fla. – A Winter Garden police sergeant is facing stalking charges after a tracking device was found attached to a woman’s car outside an Apopka bowling alley, Apopka police said.
According to an arrest affidavit, a witness saw Bryan Stubbs, 36, tampering with the vehicle of a bowling alley employee he knew. An officer searched the car but did not locate anything unusual at the time.
When interviewed by officers, Stubbs said he was “pranking a friend.” The victim told investigators she had “concerns for her safety.” According to the arrest report, Stubbs told her, “I was attempting to put something on your car.”
Days after the incident, the woman began receiving alerts on her phone indicating that a tracking device was moving with her. Police in both Apopka and Ocoee searched the vehicle but were unable to locate the device.
Authorities said the device was eventually discovered by a mechanic. Those at that auto shop say the magnetic tracker had been attached to the vehicle’s lower control arm, making it difficult to find.
Ocoee police say although cases involving those devices are not common they are reminding residents not to ignore alerts indicating an unknown tracking device may be following them.
“If you do get an alert on your car, don’t panic. Pull over, get to a safe area and call us if you need us. We will gather all the information and take it from there,” an Ocoee police spokesperson said.
Police said that in cases where officers cannot locate a device, mechanics may be able to assist in identifying hidden trackers.
According to investigators, Stubbs later changed his story. he attempted to place the device on the woman’s vehicle out of jealousy. But still not attempting to actually placing the device. However, detectives also discovered that he had accessed the woman’s personal information 26 times through a state database and found probable cause on the matter.
Stubbs was booked Tuesday at the Orange County Jail and faces three charges: invasion of privacy through the installation or use of a tracking device without consent, unauthorized access to a computer or electronic device, and stalking.
He went before a judge the following day and has since posted bond.
Stubbs was placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of the investigation and an internal review.
Following the arrest, Winter Garden police issued a statement:
“The allegations are concerning and do not reflect the standards we expect of our personnel. We take matters of this nature seriously and will fully cooperate with the Apopka Police Department as its investigation continues.”
Winter Garden Police Department