A Fruitland Park man was arrested on drug charges after being stopped on an electric bicycle with meth under the seat at 7-Eleven.
An officer observed 31-year-old Jamie Joe Johnson on a e-bicycle headed north in the southbound bicycle lane of U.S. Hwy. 27/441 around 12:20 a.m. Monday, March 24, according to an arrest report from the Fruitland Park Police Department.
By the time the officer caught up to Johnson, he was getting off his e-bicycle in front of 7-Eleven, located at 2058 U.S. Hwy. 27/441. The report noted he was dressed in all black and gray while wearing gloves, a ski mask and a hat, leaving only his eyes visible. The officer explained the reason for stopping him, to which Johnson advised he was unaware of the legality of his traffic violation. He stated it was “only for 50 feet.”
The officer noted that while speaking to Johnson, he was quick to get off his e-bicycle, take off his backpack and distance himself from those items. He showed other nervous behaviors as well, such as rapid changing of affect, stuttering and continuously looking past the officer while speaking with him. The officer asked for consent to search his bags as a result, the report said.
Johnson became hostile but granted the officer consent. There was nothing in his backpack, but he found a skeleton bag in the pouch on the front of his e-bicycle. Johnson said he “picked it up off the ground” and did not know its contents. Inside was a digital scale with a white powdery residue, the report said.
The officer continued searching and double-checked Johnson’s stuff. During this process, he found a plastic baggie sticking out from underneath a portion of the bicycle on the frame right below the seat. The bag read “THC A” and contained about 0.57 trams of a crystalline substance. It tested positive for methamphetamine, the report said.
Johnson asked what the officer found as he was detained in handcuffs. He then gave several different stories, saying the substance belonged to his girlfriend before changing it to have been someone he lent his e-bicycle to. The report noted that although he was not able to identify Johnson until he took off his head covering, he had previous interactions with him and saw him on the e-bicycle. He also admitted that he would test positive for methamphetamine if he were to take a urinalysis.
Johnson was subsequently arrested. On the way to the Lake County Jail, he spoke practically the entire time. He advised that he was not a “real criminal” and only smoke “ice,” a slang term for methamphetamine, and marijuana. He continued to claim that all he did was “go to work and get high,” placing blame on the officer for “ruining his life,” the report said.
Johnson was charged with possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. He was released from jail after posting $3,500 bond.
He was also arrested in May 2017 after helping himself to cereal, milk, Rolaids and condoms at Circle K.