Florida politician found with cocaine in his shoes after attempting to flee a traffic stop
Florida politician, 34, is found with cocaine in his SHOES after falling off his motorcycle: Councilman tried to flee a traffic stop with an expired license before he was cuffed
- Peter Filiberto was traveling illegally on a motorcycle when he was pulled over
- Filiberto, 34, has severed on the Palm Bay City Council since November
- He has been previously arrested for DUIs in 2008 and 2019
A Florida politician was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and stashing cocaine in his shoes after he fell off his motorcycle while fleeing police.
Peter Filiberto, a Palm Bay city councilman, was traveling ‘well above the 25mph posted speed limit’ and skipping through stop signs minutes before he was pulled over on Saturday around 11:50pm.
Filiberto, 34, attempted to lose the officer by making a U-turn which led him to lose control and fall over, according to the arrest affidavit.
The politician, who has two previous DUIs, refused to talk to the officer but was arrested due to his breath smelling of alcohol and for driving with a non-motorcycle expired license.
He was charged with reckless driving, possession of a controlled substance and operating a motorcycle without a license. Filiberto has since posted bail.
Peter Filiberto, a Palm Bay city councilman, was traveling ‘well above the 25mph posted speed limit’ and skipping through stop signs minutes before he was pulled over on Saturday around 11:50pm
The politician with two previous DUIs refused to talk to the officer but was arrested due to his breath smelling of alcohol and for driving with a non-motorcycle expired license
The arrest affidavit claimed a plastic bag with 10.6 grams cocaine was discovered in Filiberto’s shoe at the police station when he was being processed.
The DUI stop wasn’t Filiberto’s first as records obtained The Space Coast Rocket revealed he was previously arrested in 2008 and 2019.
In 2008, the city councilman also refused to perform a sobriety test and was taken into custody.
Filiberto’s license expired in September – two months before he was elected onto the Palm Bay city council.
The councilman is a Republican who ran on the beliefs of safety, security and affordable housing, according to the news outlet.
Bodycam footage of Filiberto’s arrest will be available at a later date, police said.
Filiberto wasn’t immediately available for comment.
Filiberto has served on city council since November 2022. His term was expected to be up in 2026
Palm Bay Mayor Rob Medina commented on Filiberto’s arrest and pledged transparency as details emerge.
‘As mayor of the city of Palm Bay, I wanted to share my heart regarding the arrest of Councilman Filiberto. This is an active investigation and these are serious charges; however, I have full faith and confidence in the Palm Bay Police Department as they handle this matter with integrity and in accordance with the law,’ Medina told WFTV 9.
‘My prayers go out to Pete Filiberto and his family as they work through this situation. As you all know, my focus since being elected mayor has been to restore trust and confidence in the city and its leadership.
‘And I want our community to know that I take this seriously, and we will continue to communicate and provide transparency through this process.’