An Ocala woman who was pulled over for a blown-out headlight was arrested after police found drugs and a pistol during a traffic stop.
On June 27, an Ocala Police Department officer was traveling eastbound on SR 200 near SW 10th Avenue when he observed a car with a driver’s side headlight not working.
When the officer confronted the driver and passenger, he reported he smelled the odor of burnt marijuana emitting from the vehicle. The officer reports he also observed a white plastic bag in the floorboard with the writing “THC” on it.
The officer says 37-year-old Nicky Vanover exited the vehicle and was fumbling in her pocket. He reports that he observed a clear plastic bag with a white substance fall from Vanover’s pocket. The substance looked like a white rock and appeared to be cocaine or methamphetamine, according to the incident report.
A vehicle search revealed a white powdery substance, a semi-automatic pistol and one magazine, the report stated.
Vanover admitted she owned the pistol but denied knowledge of the substances found, which field tested positive for methamphetamine.
Vanover was arrested and transported to the Marion County Jail with a bond set at $7,000. She was released on June 27. She was charged with drug possession of meth and possession of a concealed firearm while committing a felony.