A Leesburg man was arrested with a gun after an officer found marijuana in his car parked near a convenience store.
An officer responded to a noise complaint near C & H Neighborhood Groceries, 802 Beecher St., around 12:20 a.m. Saturday, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department. Upon arrival, he noticed several vehicles parked in the “no parking zone.” He used a flashlight to look into a dark Ford Explorer, later found to belong to 40-year-old Thomas AC Hardy, and saw a bag of marijuana near the center console.
While checking the vehicle’s tag, the officer saw Hardy approaching. He had the keys around his neck and tried to get into the vehicle, but not before the officer asked if he had a medical marijuana card. He said no and tried to walk away, at which point the officer handcuffed him, the report said.
Hardy then stated he had a pistol on him, and the officer discovered a black Smith & Wesson M&P Shield chambered in .45 caliber. The officers also opened his vehicle and retrieved the bag of marijuana, learning it weighed 40 grams, the report said.
The officer next put Hardy at the front of his vehicle. While standing there, he heard a bag hit the ground and found another baggie of marijuana where Hardy had been, the report said.
Hardy was arrested on charges of possession of marijuana and display/use/conceal firearm during felony. He was booked at the Lake County Jail and released after posting $5,000 bond.