A Lakeland private school administrator faces multiple criminal charges after a traffic stop on Interstate 4 Saturday afternoon, according to authorities.
Dominique Lasahy DeVeaux, 36, assistant head of school at Academy Prep of Lakeland, was arrested at 1:09 p.m. on July 11, 2026. A Polk County Sheriff’s Office officer stopped her gray Chevrolet Traverse on westbound I-4 near Polk City after discovering she was driving without a valid driver’s license.
According to agency records, DeVeaux’s license was revoked for five years on November 26, 2024, after she was identified as a habitual traffic offender. Her license was then suspended three times in 2025—in March, June, and August—for failing to pay traffic penalties, and it was revoked indefinitely on May 3. In addition, records reveal she has seven outstanding traffic citations in Orange County.
According to investigators, DeVeaux first ignored two commands to exit her vehicle before finally agreeing with the third. When the officer attempted to handcuff her, DeVeaux physically fought, pivoted, and struck the deputy’s hand, breaking free from his grip.
During the meeting, the vehicle carried a guy and a little child.
“Throwing a tantrum on the side of the interstate and physically striking a deputy is way out of line,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd stated. “It is especially inappropriate for someone who is professionally accountable for so many children. She is expected to serve as a role model not just for her students, but also for the little child in the vehicle.
DeVeaux was sent to the Sheriff’s Processing Center. She has been charged with battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, and driving while her license is suspended or revoked as a habitual offender, all third-degree crimes. She is also facing a misdemeanor charge of resisting an officer without violence.
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