A 23-year-old Ocala man was arrested by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office after he was caught driving an SUV that had been reported stolen.
On Tuesday, MCSO deputies in northern Marion County were notified that a silver Jeep Grand Wagoneer had been reported stolen out of Ocala. The SUV had been spotted traveling northbound on NW Gainesville Road, near the intersection of NW 35th Street, according to the arrest report.
Several deputies responded to the area to search for the stolen SUV, and it was observed traveling northbound in the 4700 block of NW Gainesville Road. The report stated that one of the deputies drove behind the vehicle in a patrol car, and a traffic stop was conducted in the 6500 block of NW Gainesville Road.
The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, identified in the report as Eric Jamal Calvin Brewster, exited the SUV and was detained in handcuffs.
A search of the vehicle’s tag confirmed that it had been reported stolen out of the Ocala Police Department. In addition, the report stated that Brewster did not possess a Florida driver’s license.
An OPD detective arrived at the scene of the traffic stop and made contact with Brewster. According to the report, Brewster refused to speak with the detective regarding the theft of the SUV.
Brewster was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail where he is currently being held on $2,500 bond. He is facing a felony charge for grand theft of a motor vehicle and a misdemeanor charge for operating a motor vehicle without a valid license.
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.