A Leesburg man was arrested when officers found a marijuana cigarette stashed under the front passenger seat during a traffic stop.
Officers observed the driver and sole occupant of a gold Chevrolet Impala, later identified as 36-year-old Clifford Wendell Smith, turning from Center Street onto Lone Oak Drive without using a signal around 2:36 p.m. Monday, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department. Also, the vehicle’s front window appeared to be a darker tint than the legal limit.
After seeing these violations, one of the officers conducted a traffic stop near South Street and Lone Oak Drive. Smith continued slowly driving west before coming to a stop at 2229 South St. Before approaching the vehicle, the officer saw Smith reaching over the center console near the front passenger seat, possibly placing items under the front passenger seat, the report said.
The officer then spoke with Smith and explained the reason for the traffic stop. He also asked for his driver’s license, which Smith provided. The front window was tested with a window tint meter, and it confirmed a violation as it showed 13% instead of the allowed 25% or higher, the report said.
Smith became verbally aggressive with officers and was asked to get out of the vehicle, to which he complied. An officer walked his K-9 partner around the vehicle, conducting a free-air sniff of the air coming from the vehicle. The K-9 subsequently alerted to the odor of illegal narcotics, and a search of the vehicle began, the report said.
The officers found a small marijuana cigarette weighing about 0.6 grams and a small clear plastic baggie with white powdery residue consistent with cocaine under the front passenger seat. Due to being unable to test the powdery substance, Smith was not charged for it at the time. The residue in the bag would instead be sent for analysis, and any additional offenses would be considered after the fact, the report said.
As for the cigarette, it tested positive for marijuana. Smith did not have a medical marijuana card, and the marijuana was clearly not medical as there was no packaging consistent within the vehicle nor with the marijuana, the report said.
Additionally, Smith was currently out on bond with an ankle monitor for drugs (traffic in methamphetamine), conspire to traffic methamphetamine and drugs (possession of marijuana – les than 20 grams), the report said.
Smith was ultimately arrested and charged with possession of marijuana (less than 20 grams). He was also given traffic warnings for fail to indicate turn properly and tint (side windows). He was transported to Lake County Jail and released after posting $1,000 bond.
He was also arrested in October after a SWAT team raid led to the discovery of narcotics and ammo in a Leesburg home.