49.9 F
Ocala
Friday, March 29, 2024

Ocala couple popped for drugs on I-75 in Ocala

William Howard Sanders

A man and woman from Mount Dora were arrested on drug charges recently after being pulled over on Interstate 75 in Ocala.

Megan Nicole Bradshaw was charged with possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and tampering with evidence, and Sanders was charged with possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. Both are 22 years old and live at 7561 Lake Andrea Circle in Mount Dora.

At around 8:23 p.m. March 10, a Marion County sheriff’s deputy observed a blue 2007 Audi driving south in the 8700 block of I-75 without a visible license tag. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and observed Sanders was driving and Bradshaw was in the front passenger seat. A strong odor of fresh marijuana was emitting from the vehicle, according to the sheriff’s office report.

Megan Nicole Bradshaw

The deputy asked Sanders and Bradshaw how much marijuana was in the vehicle. After they both initially denied the presence of marijuana, Sanders admitted to having about a gram of marijuana in a storage compartment under the driver’s seat. Sanders said there were also several “morphine” pills under the driver’s seat along with the marijuana, the report said.

With both Sanders and Bradshaw out of the vehicle, the deputy searched under the driver’s seat and found a small baggie containing a green leafy substance in the storage compartment, but the morphine pills weren’t there. Sanders pointed again to the storage compartment and said the pills must have fallen under the seat. He said there were approximately six pills and they were in an orange bottle, according to the report.

Bradshaw denied knowing what happened to the pills. The deputy found a backpack in the back seat that contained Bradshaw’s identification. Also found inside the backpack was the orange pill bottle, which contained six small round blue pills later identified as morphine sulfate 15mg, a schedule2 controlled substance, the report said.

After being read his Miranda rights, Sanders said the pills weren’t in the backpack at the time of the traffic stop. He confirmed the backpack belonged to Bradshaw, who refused to speak with the deputy after being read her Miranda rights, according to the report.

While in the back of the patrol car, Bradshaw admitted to taking the pills and told Sanders, “I didn’t know you were going to tell them, so I moved them.” She then said, “I know that was stupid.” Sanders told Bradshaw, “The only reason you are back here is …,” and Bradshaw cut him off and said, “… because I moved them,” the report said.

Due to his cooperation, Sanders was not charged with possession of the green leafy substance, suspected to be marijuana. Bradshaw and Sanders were taken to the Marion County Jail. Bradshaw was released March 11 on $4,000 bond, while Sanders was released hours later on $2,000 bond.