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Routine Traffic Stop Leads To Arrest Of 'America's Most Wanted' Fugitive

America's Most Wanted

A violation of a Florida highway safety law led to the June arrest of one of America’s Most Wanted. State troopers say it’s not only a lesson for motorists, it also caught a bad guy in the process.

It’s state law to move over to the lane farthest away from an emergency vehicle parked on the side of the road with flashing emergency lights. But, Brett Bowyer didn’t do that for a Brevard County Sheriff’s deputy, who was on a traffic stop. So, the Florida Highway Patrol’s Captain Nancy Rasmussen says a state trooper pulled him over. Bowyer gave a false name, but was later identified using a handheld fingerprint scanner.

“You need to follow the laws of the land. So this guy apparently doesn’t care about the laws of Florida. He violated our “Move Over Law.” Therefore, he got stopped and then he got caught, come to find out we captured a fugitive showcased on America’s Most Wanted,” said Bowyer.

Bowyer failed to appear in a West Virginia court for sentencing, following a 2010 arrest for child porn. He’d been on the run ever since. Two years later, his story aired on the TV show, America’s Most Wanted.

For more news updates, follow Sascha Cordner on twitter @SaschaCordner.

Sascha Cordner has more than ten years of public radio experience. It includes working at NPR member station WUFT-FM in Gainesville for several years. She's worked in both radio and TV, serving in various capacities as a reporter, producer and anchor. She's also a graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in telecommunications. She is the recipient of 15 awards from the Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and Edward R. Murrow. Her award-winning stories include her coverage on the infamous “Dozier School for Boys” and a feature titled "Male Breast Cancer: Lost in the Sea of Pink." Currently, Sascha serves as the host and producer of local and state news content for the afternoon news program "All Things Considered" at WFSU. Sascha primarily covers criminal justice and social services issues. When she's not reporting, Sascha likes catching up on her favorite TV shows, singing and reading. Follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter:@SaschaCordner.