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Shirtless Florida man arrested after riding motorcycle with toddler between legs, police say

CLEARWATER, Fla. — A shirtless man was arrested Tuesday after he was seen riding a motorcycle with a toddler between his legs, police said.

Gerardo Javier Garcia, 27, was seen riding shirtless with the child around 3 p.m., the Tampa Bay Times reported.

A Clearwater police officer saw Garcia “with the child between (his) legs and with its head resting on the gas tank,” investigators wrote.

Garcia fled at a high rate of speed and ran a red light after an officer got behind the motorcycle, then turned on his lights and siren.

The officer did not pursue Garcia, but police later stopped Garcia. He told officers he fled because he did not have a driver’s license and feared going to jail, investigators said.

It was unclear the child’s age and relation to Garcia.

Garcia was arrested and charged with child neglect, driving without a valid license and fleeing police, WTVT reported. A hold from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was also placed on him, the Times reported.