A Leesburg man was arrested for drug possession and driving without a license after police stopped him for driving with one headlight.
Police observed a white Chevy Trax traveling eastbound on U.S. Hwy. 441 with only one operational headlight at around 10:50 p.m. Sunday, according to an arrest report from the Tavares Police Department.
The officer initiated a traffic stop near a Sunoco gas station and spoke to 27-year-old Richard James Gugliuzza, the report said. As the officer spoke with Gugliuzza, he noticed that he was visibly sweating while both of his hands trembled. When asked why he was so nervous, Gugliuzza stated he needed a new drink because he was always nervous.
Gugliuzza continuously reached into his left pocket and touched the driver’s side door for no apparent reason during the conversation. The officer asked if there were any weapons or narcotics in the vehicle, both of which Gugliuzza denied having. He then consented to a search of the vehicle, the report said.
Before the search began, Gugliuzza confessed to drug paraphernalia and possibly fentanyl in the vehicle because he took it from his brother. He then stepped out of the vehicle and said the paraphernalia was in the driver’s side door, the report said.
During the search, officers found multiple pieces of tin foil with burnt residue on them, the report said. They also found multiple small transparent poly resealable baggies containing white residue. A search of Gugliuzza resulted in a bag of a white and purple substance in his front left short pocket. This substance tested positive for fentanyl.
The report also said several oddly cut straws were located near more burnt pieces of tin foil. An electronic scale was found inside of the vehicle next to some of the poly bags, but they appeared to be ripped at the bottom.
A check revealed Gugliuzza had his license suspended in 2015 and two prior convictions for driving while his license was suspended. He was also arrested in 2014 in a burglary at a construction site in The Villages.
Gugliuzza was arrested and charged with driving while his license was suspended third offense, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance. He was transported to the Lake County Jail and released after posting $5,000 bond.
