Man dragged out of vehicle when K-9 sniffs out narcotics in backseat

A Leesburg man and an Astatula woman were arrested for drug possession when a K-9 sniffed out various narcotics in the backseat of their vehicle.

An officer observed a black vehicle, later found to be occupied by 42-year-old Elvis Clarence Hall and 23-year-old Madison Christen Perry, traveling eastbound on Main Street without a fully working tag light to illuminate the license plate around 1:11 a.m. Monday, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department. 

The officer turned around to begin following the vehicle to try reading the license plate. The vehicle turned left onto Perkins Street, then right onto Herndon Street before making another left onto Lee Street. The officer caught up at that point only for the vehicle to make another immediate turn onto West Line Street, the report said. 

This driving pattern was suspicious, as it seemed the vehicle made random turns anytime the officer got close. The officer also saw through the mirror that the front seat passenger did not appear to have a seatbelt on. The officer confirmed the tag light violation, as it looked like the trunk was broken, not even closed and being held by a rope, the report said. 

The officer called the traffic stop out over the radio and was able to read the vehicle’s tag once he got out of his patrol vehicle. He approached the front passenger side of the vehicle to see Hall driving with Perry as the passenger. She was not properly wearing a seatbelt, instead having it tucked behind her back, the report said. 

The officer explained the reasons for the stop and asked for the occupants’ information. Hall handed over his license, but Perry stated she did not have an ID or anything with her name on it. The officer instead took down the name and date of birth she provided, the report said. 

Another officer, already on scene, was given this information and instructed to complete warnings for the two violations and confirm Perry’s identity. As he worked on that, a K-9 was deployed to perform a free-air sniff around the outside of the vehicle. The K-9 initially slowed down to sniff the rear driver’s side but eventually positively alerted at the rear passenger side’s door seam, the report said. 

As a result, an officer told Hall to get out of the vehicle. He stated he was not going to do so despite being given six commands from multiple officers. One of the officers then opened the door through the inside and maintained control of Hall’s arms while telling another officer what to do with the seatbelt for them to get Hall out, the report said. 

They successfully removed Hall from the vehicle, planning to take him to the ground. That was when he abruptly pulled away and began trying to escape. One of the officers immediately gained control and brought Hall to the ground where he was quickly detained, the report said. 

An officer walked Hall to the hood of a patrol vehicle and proceeded to search him. Inside his cargo shorts front upper left pocket was a glass pipe with residue consistent with crack cocaine usage. Under that pocket was a small black zip-up container with a white powder-like substance in a clear plastic baggie that later tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed 6.3 grams. Inside the same pouch was another small baggie containing a white cake-like substance that later tested positive for cocaine and weighed 0.6 grams, the report said. 

Officers also found a firearm on Hall near his chest under his t-shirt. This was held to him by a belly band with the firearm near his right armpit, the report said. 

While searching the backseat of the vehicle, which had numerous items, an officer discovered a black Bebe brand mini backpack on the right rear floorboard. This held several items, starting with a black case containing nine .25 rounds, the report said. 

There was also a purple waterproof case containing two plastic bags. One had a green zip lock top with multiple rectangular pills with no markings, most of which were broken or crushed, having a bagged weight of 24 grams, which tested positive for fentanyl. The other had a white zip lock top containing eight round white pills with CTI 103 markings on one side and black on the other. This was suspected to be Diclofenac, which is used to reduce pain and swelling. There were also five white oval pills with MIA 100 markings, suspected to be Acetaminophen, Butalbital and caffeine pills, the report said. 

The backpack had one gray E-Cigs box containing a small plastic baggie weighing 1.3 grams. This had one while white pill and one crushed pill, which tested positive for methamphetamine; one plastic baggie containing two yellow oval capsules weighing 1 gram and testing positive for methamphetamine; and one clear glass pipe with white residue, the report said. 

Also found in a white laundry basket in the back seat was one Chromium Crusher brand grinder with green leafy residue, the report said. 

A computer criminal inquiry revealed Hall had five prior felony convictions, the report said. 

Both Hall and Perry denied ownership of the contents of the vehicle, the report said. Despite this, both were arrested. 

Hall was charged with possession of methamphetamine, trafficking in fentanyl (24 grams), possession of cocaine, drug paraphernalia (possession or use), weapon (possess firearm/ammo by convicted felon) and resisting (obstructing without violence). He was transported to Lake County Jail with bond set at $100,000. 

Perry was charged with possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia (possession or use). She was taken to Lake County Jail with bond set at $52,000.