A 31-year-old passenger was arrested by the Ocala Police Department after officers found 500 grams of a synthetic drug during a traffic stop.
On Thursday, July 13, an Ocala Police Department officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that had four occupants: an adult female driver, two young children, and an adult passenger identified as Darius Jovantea Douglas.
The officer detected the odor of marijuana inside the vehicle, and another officer soon arrived at the scene to provide support. During the traffic stop, OPD stated that Douglas was observed opening and closing the center console.
An interior search of the vehicle was conducted by the officers, and they located a large quantity of MDPV, approximately 500 grams, inside the center console. The officers also found a bottle of cologne in the center console that likely belonged to Douglas, according to OPD.
The officers spoke with the female driver and determined that she was unaware of the drugs that were confiscated. OPD stated that the officers contacted the Florida Department of Children and Families since two children were in the rear seat of the vehicle during the traffic stop.
Douglas was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail where he is currently being held on $25,000 bond. He is facing a felony charge for trafficking in MDPV, and a court date has not been scheduled yet.
Since 2011, Douglas has been arrested over a dozen times in Marion County, according to jail records.