The Marion County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 34-year-old man last week after he fled from a deputy who attempted to conduct a traffic stop on S U.S. Highway 41.
On Friday, June 16, an MCSO deputy observed a silver Mercedes sedan traveling southbound near the 8000 block of S U.S. Highway 41. A registration check of the vehicle revealed that the registered owner has a suspended Florida driver’s license, according to the arrest report.
The deputy activated the patrol car’s emergency lights and attempted to conduct a traffic stop of the sedan near the 10000 block of S U.S. Highway 41. The sedan eventually came to a complete stop in the 10300 block, according to the MCSO report.
Shortly after the deputy pulled behind the sedan, the driver of the vehicle, later identified as Christopher Lee North, drove away from the traffic stop at a high rate of speed. The MCSO report stated that the deputy pursued the sedan as it headed southbound, and the vehicle eventually came to a stop in the 11000 block of N Williams Street.
Moments after the sedan came to a complete stop, a male passenger exited the vehicle. The deputy ordered North to remain in the vehicle, and he was taken into custody, according to the MCSO report.
The deputy noted in the report that the sedan had a “strong smell of raw marijuana.” When North was removed from the vehicle, the deputy observed a large plastic bag on the driver’s seat that contained approximately 78 grams of a green and brown leafy substance. This substance field-tested positive for marijuana.
In addition, two pink colored pouches were found in the center console of the sedan next to the driver’s seat. The pouches contained approximately 3.5 grams of a green leafy substance that also field-tested positive for marijuana.
After being read his Miranda rights, North admitted that he has never possessed a valid driver’s license, and a computer search confirmed that a driver’s license was never issued to him in the state of Florida. He initially told the deputy that he was not driving the sedan, but he later advised during the post-Miranda interview that he was “just trying to find a safe place to stop.”
The male passenger was interviewed and advised that he had observed the deputy’s patrol car. He stated that he “demanded” that North stop the vehicle during the pursuit, and he believed that North “panicked.”
North was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail where he is currently being held on $4,500 bond. He is facing felony charges for fleeing to elude a law enforcement officer and possession of marijuana over 20 grams, along with a misdemeanor charge for operating a vehicle without a valid license.
A court date has been scheduled at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, July 18, according to jail records.