An 18-year-old Ocala man was arrested on multiple drug charges after he ran his vehicle into a tree and tried to flee on foot recently.
Jer’Quan Green was charged with fleeing/eluding law enforcement, resisting law enforcement without violence, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, possession of MDMA, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
An Ocala Police officer responded at around 1:14 p.m. to a report of shots fired in the area of 2800 block of NE 3rd Street. While heading to the location, the officer saw a man with a black jacket and black or blue pants running towards the Arbor Gate Apartments, 2821 NE 3rd St. Upon arrival at the apartments, the officer saw a 2013 black Ford being driven by a man with black shirt pull out of the gate and head east on NE 3rd Street, according to the police report.
After the vehicle stopped past the stop bar at the stop sign at NE 3rd Street and State Road 40, the officer tried to initiate a traffic stop by activating the patrol car’s emergency lights. The driver – later identified as Green – started reaching around both sides of his seat and around the vehicle. Green failed to stop and instead turned into the Hillside Shopping Center and continued to drive through the parking lot, the report said.
The officer turned on the siren and advised dispatch the vehicle was fleeing. The car exited the parking lot onto NE 25th Avenue and continued north until it turned east on NE 8th Lane, which is a dead end. At that point, Green got out of the vehicle while it was still in motion and fled on foot eastbound into the Carriage House apartment complex. The officer gave chase through the complex until Green became tired and surrendered, according to the report.
A search of Green’s person turned up two smart phones and $1,521 in cash. Asked why he ran, Green said it was because he was scared, the report said.
The vehicle, which had crashed into a tree after Green jumped out of it, couldn’t be searched until a tow truck pulled it away from the tree. Inside the back pouch of the front passenger seat were two plastic bags containing a green leafy substance that tested positive for marijuana. A gray flip phone was in the center console of the vehicle, according to the report.
Under the driver’s seat was a plastic bag containing 4 grams of a clear crystalline substance that tested positive for methamphetamine, and a black wallet containing Green’s learner’s permit was on the left side of the driver’s seat against the door. Also inside the wallet, in a black zipper pouch, was a green non-medical pill that tested positive for MDMA, the report said.
Due to Green having multiple burner-type phones and a large amount of cash, the officer determined there was probable cause to charge him with narcotic sales instead of narcotic use. The money and phones were collected as evidence, according to the report.
In reference to the original call about shots fired, Green said he did not hear any shots fired and had just pulled into Arbor’s Gate about 2 minutes ahead of the officer. He said he ran because he was scared and didn’t know why the officer had pulled behind him, the report said.
Green was taken to the Marion County Jail, where he was released early on $9,500 bond.