A 60-year-old Ocala man out on bond on a drug charge was arrested just three days after his release when methamphetamine was found in his vehicle during a traffic stop.
Curtis Kirschner, of 2800 NE 36th Ave., was charged Tuesday with possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession of drug equipment, and operating a motor vehicle without a valid license. He was previously charged with possession of paraphernalia on Aug. 6 and released Aug. 8 on $1,000 bond.
Shortly before 10 p.m. Tuesday, a Marion County sheriff’s deputy observed a 2001 Ford Windstar van owned and driven by Kirschner traveling north on the 1400 block of NE 36th Avenue. A check of the vehicle’s license tag showed Kirschner was suspended, and the van also had a brake light flashing on and off. The deputy was familiar with Kirschner from an interaction they had days earlier, according to the sheriff’s office report.
A sheriff’s office K-9 unit responded to the scene and the dog, “Bolo,” gave a positive alert to the presence of narcotics. A search of the vehicle turned up an eyeglass case that contained multiple syringes, a plastic bag with a white crystal residue, and a spoon with a white substance stuck to it, the report said.
The substance in the bag and on the spoon both tested positive for methamphetamine. Kirschner invoked his right not to speak to the deputy about the incident, according to the report.
Kirschner was taken to the Marion County Jail, where he was being held without bond. He is due to appear in Marion County Court on Sept. 15.