An Ocklawaha woman who denied owning the bag that was thrown out her car window – even though it had her name on it – was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia after a traffic stop in Ocala on Sunday.
Alyssa M. Masters, 22, also was charged with possession of a concealed weapon and driving without a valid license. Her passenger, George Stanton, 26, also of Ocklawaha, was charged with possession of paraphernalia.
While on patrol in the area of NW Martin Luther King Avenue and W State Road 40, an Ocala Police officer spotted a red GMC vehicle that had been reported stolen by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. The officer initiated a traffic stop in the 2700 block of State Road 40 and the car finally stopped in the 3000 block. During the time between, the officer saw the front-seat passenger throw an item out the window. The item landed in the grass and bounced under some bushes on the north side of the road, according to the OPD report.
Another officer retrieved the item, a gold zippered pouch. Attached to the pouch was a pink key chain with the name “ALYSSA” in yellow printed on it. Inside the pouch were numerous hypodermic needles, small pieces of aluminum foil, and a small clear plastic bag containing a residue that field tested positive for heroin, the report said.
Inside the car, an officer found a dagger wedged into the seat controls on the left side of the driver’s seat. With the door closed, the knife was concealed from view but was readily accessible. Meanwhile, a search of the Driver and Vehicle Information Database showed Masters does not have a driver’s license, according to the report.
When asked if she ever had a driver’s license, Masters said she had not. She also said she knew nothing about the zippered pouch, even though it had her name on it, and had no knowledge of the concealed knife, the report said.
Masters and Stanton were taken to the Marion County Jail. Masters was released Monday on $1,500 bond and will appear in Marion County Court on June 10. Stanton was released Monday on $500 bond. No court date was set.