A Leesburg man was arrested after police found marijuana during a traffic stop in Eustis.
Shane Alexander Tucker, 21, was charged with possession of marijuana. A Eustis police officer observed Tucker’s black four-door Toyota heading south at about 60 mph in a 45-mph zone on North State Road 19 at around 3:37 a.m. Friday, according to the arrest report.
Tucker turned right onto County Road 44 and then into the parking lot of the 7-Eleven store at 2002 N. SR 19. The officer conducted a traffic stop as Tucker pulled up next to a gas pump, the report said.
Before the officer could get out of his vehicle, Tucker quickly got out of his vehicle and walked towards him. The officer explained the reason for the stop, and Tucker acknowledged his speed and said he needed to hurry up to the gas station to get gas, according to the report.
Another officer arrived on scene as backup as the arresting officer asked Tucker for his driver’s license and vehicle registration. Tucker said not have his license with him but could provide a picture of it, which was used to confirm that his license was suspended in March, the report said.
The officer asked if Tucker had anything illegal inside the vehicle, to which he said no. He was also asked if he would consent to a search of his vehicle, and he stated he would rather not. He then admitted to having a small amount of marijuana inside the vehicle, according to the report.
The officer then advised that he was going to deploy his certified narcotic detection K9 around the vehicle. As the officer retrieved his K9, Tucker stated he had about a quarter pound of marijuana inside the vehicle. The K9 began an open-air sniff and gave a positive alert, the report said.
As the officer walked back up to conduct a probable cause search of the vehicle, he asked Tucker where the marijuana was located. Tucker stated it was in the center console, where another officer found a gallon size plastic bag filled with a green leafy substance. This weighed 117 grams and tested positive for marijuana.
The Chicago native was taken to the Lake County Jail and released after posting $2,000 bond.
