A Leesburg man was charged with possession of marijuana after a car he was a passenger in was stopped for running a red light.
At around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, a Lake County sheriff’s deputy saw a red Pontiac Grand Prix traveling south on Lee Street fail to stop at the stop sign at the intersection with Gibson Street. The driver continued southbound until approaching the red light at the intersection of U.S. Highway 441, where the deputy initiated the traffic stop, according to the sheriff’s office report.
While the deputy was speaking with the driver, he noticed the front-seat passenger – Herbert Lee Harris, 39, of 1704 Birchwood Circle – appeared nervous. The deputy ran a computer search that showed Harris had a warrant for failing to appear in Lake County Court on a charge of possession of marijuana, according to the report.
Harris was searched as part of his arrest and the deputy found two bags on the left side of his waistband containing a green leafy substance that tested positive for marijuana. The weight of the marijuana was 34 grams, the report said.
Harris was charged with possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana and failure to appear in court. He was taken the Lake County Jail, where he was being held Friday on $2,000 bond. Harris is due to appear in Lake County Court on May 12 on the failure to appear charge and May 24 on the new marijuana possession charge.
