A Eustis man was arrested for drug possession when an officer found several grams of meth in his DeWalt box during a traffic stop.
An officer observed a red Ford pickup truck with only one working break light at the intersection of Rose Avenue and West Berckman Street around 10:42 a.m. Saturday, according to an arrest report from the Fruitland Park Police Department.
The officer followed behind the driver and observed the truck brake at the curve near Willard Street. This confirmed only the right red brake light worked. Additionally, neither Bass nor the front seat passenger, later identified as 64-year-old Wayne Bass, wore seat belts, the report said.
The officer conducted a traffic stop as a result. Upon stopping, he saw the driver unsuccessfully try to put his seatbelt on. The officer then approached the vehicle and explained the reasons for the stop, the report said.
Both the driver and Bass, the far-right front seat passenger, advised that they forgot to put on their seatbelts. The center front seat passenger was also without a seatbelt, the report said.
The officer observed all three occupants to show behavior consistent with nervousness, such as shaky hands and voices, providing excess information, and shifty eye contact. Therefore, he asked if there was anything in the vehicle he should be aware of such as guns, drugs or other weapons. All occupants said there was not, with Bass advising the only thing of concern would be his “dirty socks,” the report said.
The officer then asked for consent to search the vehicle, which was granted. After searching the cabin, he found a backpack in the bed of the truck. He asked who the bag belonged to before proceeding, and Bass stated it was his, the report said.
Inside the main pocket of the backpack was a yellow DeWalt box. This contained a tied-off plastic bag with a crystalline substance that later weighed about 3.21 grams and tested positive for methamphetamine, the report said.
As the officer walked toward Bass, he hung his head and affirmed he knew what was coming. The report noted that later during the booking process, when asked by correctional staff what the charge was that he was there for, he stated, “I had some drugs on me. I knew I shouldn’t have, but oh well.”
Bass was ultimately charged with possession of methamphetamine and issued a written warning for the seatbelt violation. He was transported to Lake County Jail and released after posting $2,500 bond.
