Two Leesburg men were arrested on drug and weapon charges after being stopped with meth, fentanyl and brass knuckles.
A deputy on patrol saw the driver of a silver hatchback, 58-year-old Aaron Gavin Waters, pass a stop bar at the intersection of South Street and South Lone Oak Drive in Leesburg around 2:10 a.m. Wednesday, according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. The passenger, 33-year-old Terrance Harris, threw two items out of his window as the deputy initiated a traffic stop.
The first item looked to be a small plastic bag, and the second item was a $5 bill. Other deputies in the area were notified of this and found them shortly after. They determined that the plastic bag contained something similar to marijuana, while the $5 bill had methamphetamine, the report said.
At this point, the vehicle had already pulled over. The deputy who stopped the occupants noticed a backpack between Waters’ feet, and he even tried to move it with his feet. On Harris’ lap sat a black crossbody satchel with a zipper pocket, the report said.
The deputy proceeded to explain the reason for the stop to Waters, who looked nervous due to his shaking and sweating. He denied there being any weapons or narcotics in the vehicle, but he did not give consent for law enforcement to search the vehicle. However, a K-9 unit subsequently responded to the scene and positively alerted to the odor of narcotics, meaning the vehicle would be searched anyway, the report said.
The deputies started with the backpack and found several unused needles and a metal spoon in the side pocket. The spoon later tested positive for methamphetamine. Inside the backpack were various cards that had Waters’ identification on them, indicating it belonged to him, the report said.
Located on the left side of the driver’s seat were multicolored brass knuckles. He also had other pocketknives next to the brass knuckles and under the seat. None of these items had dust on them and seemed to have been recently placed, the report said.
On the passenger side of the vehicle, there was another backpack with no illicit narcotics. But the satchel bag from Harris’ lap contained a plastic wrapper with fentanyl. A subsequent search of his person revealed methamphetamine in the front right pocket of his jeans, the report said.
The two occupants were then separated for interviews. Harris went first and stated he would be completely honest. The first item he threw out of the window was marijuana, and it was his. He then threw the $5 bill because he did not want to have the methamphetamine held inside. He admitted the methamphetamine in his satchel belonged to him, as well, the report said.
Waters refused to speak with law enforcement, and the conversation ended there. A check of his criminal history revealed he was a convicted felon as of Aug. 17, 1989, the report said.
Waters was arrested on charges of possession of methamphetamine, drug equipment (possess or use) and possession of weapon or ammo by convicted felon. He also violated his probation for petit theft (second offense), resisting without violence and resist merchant. So, after being booked at the Lake County Jail, he was held without bond.
Harris was arrested on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of fentanyl, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, and possession of marijuana (less than 20 grams). He was booked at the jail with bond set at $8,500.