A Central Florida driver’s two-year legal fight ended with an acquittal, and this week the police officer who arrested him at gunpoint left the Winter Springs Police Department. Kevin Finley says video recorded by the cameras on his Tesla showed he never saw the officer trying to pull him over. If you are wondering what happened to Kevin Finley, here is what the police chief, local news outlets and Finley himself have said, and what is still unresolved.
What happened to Kevin Finley
On Aug. 7, 2024, Finley was driving home in Winter Springs, Florida, after dropping his children off, News 6 (ClickOrlando) reported. A Winter Springs officer in an unmarked patrol car tried to stop him for what the officer said was driving through an intersection at a high rate of speed, according to WESH 2.
Finley says he never knew police were behind him. When he got home, officers confronted him at gunpoint outside his garage, ordered him to his knees and handcuffed him, according to WESH 2 and FOX 35 Orlando. “I was very scared,” Finley told WESH. “I had no clue what was going on.”
The key evidence came from his car. Footage from the Tesla’s rear camera showed only a brief moment when the patrol car’s emergency lights were visible, both WESH 2 and FOX 35 reported. News 6 said the video captured the officer, who had been driving in the opposite direction, turning on his lights and turning around “far off in the distance.” FOX 35 reported that curves in the road and nearby buildings blocked the unmarked car from view.
Reports differ on exactly which charges Finley faced. News 6 reported he was charged with reckless driving, and in body-camera audio aired by WESH, the officer tells Finley he is receiving a criminal citation for reckless driving. WESH reported that Finley was never charged with felony fleeing and eluding, while FOX 35 described the case as a “fleeing charge.”
Timeline
- Aug. 7, 2024: Finley is stopped and detained at gunpoint at his home after the officer says he failed to stop, News 6 reported.
- Next day: Finley says he went to the police department to tell officers he had video that would clear him, but “they just didn’t care,” he told WESH.
- 2024 to 2026: The criminal case takes nearly two years to reach trial.
- July 2026: Finley is found not guilty after his Tesla footage is played in court. News 6 reported a jury found him not guilty on July 16. WESH and FOX 35 reported that the judge acquitted him before the case went to the jury.
- After the trial: Finley files a formal complaint, and the department opens an internal investigation, according to WESH and News 6.
- Oct. 20, 2026: Police Chief Matthew Tracht says the officer is no longer employed by the city. Police confirmed the officer resigned.
- Oct. 20–21, 2026: Finley says Tracht called him to apologize. He tells reporters he plans to sue.
Why it matters
The case is a clear example of how privately recorded video can change the outcome of a criminal case. Finley’s account and the officer’s account of the stop were different, and the footage from his own car is what he credits with clearing him. “I never thought that that would be what this technology is used for,” Finley told News 6.
The chief’s response is also notable. In a statement shared by all three Orlando outlets, Tracht said: “Based on the circumstances surrounding this matter, the conduct did not meet the standards and expectations I have for the officers who serve this department and our community.” In the same statement, which WESH said was posted on Facebook and FOX 35 also quoted, he added: “There is no doubt the situation could have been handled differently, and there are lessons to be learned from how it was addressed.”
Finley says the apology came too late. “I don’t think it was a sincere apology,” he told WESH. “It was two years too late.” He told FOX 35 that he had to defend himself “through the mud” for two years before getting any relief. To News 6, he described the officer’s resignation as “the first step in some accountability.”
It is important to be precise about what has and has not been decided. A court found Finley not guilty. The officer resigned while the internal investigation was still open, News 6 and FOX 35 reported, so that investigation did not reach a public finding before he left. The chief’s statement criticized the conduct, but no official has announced any criminal or disciplinary finding against the officer beyond the resignation.
What’s next
Finley says he intends to file a civil lawsuit. WESH reported he plans to sue the Winter Springs Police Department, and FOX 35 reported he wants damages for the mental anguish he says he suffered and for the legal bills from fighting the case. As of Oct. 24, no lawsuit filing had been reported.
It is also not clear whether the department will release any further findings now that the officer has left. Tracht declined an on-camera interview with WESH. In his statement, he said he takes his “responsibility seriously to ensure our officers are held accountable” and that the department will keep reviewing its “actions, decisions, and practices to identify opportunities for improvement,” FOX 35 reported.
For Finley, the outcome has been partly personal. “I love the car even more now,” he told WESH. “It saved me from jail time.”
FAQ
Who is Kevin Finley?
He is a Seminole County, Florida, man who was arrested at gunpoint outside his home in Winter Springs in 2024 after an officer said he failed to stop for police. He was later acquitted.
How did a Tesla help Kevin Finley?
Video from the car’s rear camera showed the patrol car’s emergency lights were visible only briefly, supporting his account that he never saw the officer, according to WESH 2 and FOX 35.
Was the Winter Springs officer fired?
No. Police said the officer resigned while an internal investigation was ongoing.
Did the police chief apologize?
Finley says Chief Matthew Tracht called him to apologize and to tell him the officer had resigned.
Is Kevin Finley suing?
He has said he plans to file a civil lawsuit, but no filing has been reported yet.
Updated October 24, 2026