A 40-year-old Leesburg woman with multiple prior drug arrests is back in the Lake County Jail after being caught with methamphetamine and cocaine – plus giving police a phony name – during a traffic stop in front of the Jungle Hut in Tavares.
Amanda L. Linamen, of 50 Buccaneer Drive, was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and providing a false name to law enforcement after the incident, which happened around 11 p.m. Monday. Linamen was also arrested on a pair of outstanding warrants for failing to appear in court on drug charges. Jail records show her with six prior arrests since 2019.
Linamen was a passenger in a Toyota that a Tavares Police officer spotted driving with an expired license tag. The officer initiated a traffic stop and the vehicle turned into the Victory Mall Plaza at 324 W. Burleigh Blvd. The vehicle continued through the Bank of America parking lot and towards the rear of the plaza without stopping, despite the officer using the emergency lights and siren multiple times, according to the police report.
The vehicle came to a rest in front of the Jungle Hut, which is a fish game gambling establishment. The officer met with the driver, who said he couldn’t see the patrol vehicle’s emergency lights because his rear window was taped. The officer noted the vehicle was equipped with two side mirrors and the front windows were rolled down, the report said.
The passenger did not have a driver’s license or ID, and she said her name was Amelia Linamen. Lake County Dispatch could not find information for somebody with that name. The passenger spelled her last name and gave a middle name of Lois Ruth and a birthdate of 10/27/1982. Once again, dispatch could not find anyone with that name. The passenger then said her name was Leoa Jeanette, and dispatch was able to find Amanda Leoa Jeanette Linamen with a birth date of 12/24/1981. The officer used a prior mugshot to confirm the passenger was Amanda Linamen, according to the report.
After the driver denied permission to search the vehicle, a K-9 unit was called and the dog alerted to the odor of narcotics. Officers searched the vehicle and found multiple purses on the passenger floorboard. A blue purse contained a bag containing multiple plastic containers with a white substance inside. Also in the purse was a glasses case containing a smoking pipe with the same white crystal substance and burnt residue. The items field tested positive for methamphetamine and cocaine, the report said.
The driver was cited for unsafe equipment due to the fact he couldn’t see the emergency lights through his clear taped back window. Linamen was taken to jail, where she’s being held on $8,000 bond and awaits a Sept. 27 appearance in Lake County Court.
