| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: AGUILERA, EMANUEL 1238 (AR16-18912) DID UNLAWFULLY HAVE IN HIS/HER ACTUAL OR CONSTRUCTIVE POSSESSION A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, TO WIT: 0.96 GRAMS OF CRYSTAL METHAMPHETAMINE, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTE 893.13(6)(A). ON 040416 AT APPROXIMATELY 1204 HOURS, I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON NE 3RD STREET, APPROACHING THE INTERSECTION OF NE 3RD AVENUE AND NE 3RD STREET, WHEN I OBSERVED A TAN IN COLOR SUV, WHICH WAS TRAVELING EASTBOUND ON NE 3RD AVENUE. IT APPROACHED THE INTERSECTION OF NE 3RD AVENUE AND NE 3RD STREET, WHERE SAID VEHICLE PROCEEDED THROUGH THE STOP SIGN AND STOPPED APPROXIMATELY A QUARTER OF A VEHICLE LENGTH OVER THE STOP BAR. SAID VEHICLE CONTINUED THROUGH THE STOP SIGN AND PROCEEDED EASTBOUND ON NE 3RD AVENUE, WHERE I THEN TURNED RIGHT AND PROCEEDED EASTBOUND ON NE 3RD AVENUE AS WELL. I GOT BEHIND SAID VEHICLE, BEARING FLORIDA TAG 395TGW, AT WHICH TIME, I THEN ACTIVATED MY EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND SIREN EQUIPMENT AND CONDUCTED A TRAFFIC STOP ON SAID VEHICLE AT THE CORNER OF NE 3RD AVENUE AND NE CRYSTAL STREET. UPON MAKING CONTACT WITH THE DRIVER, LATER IDENTIFIED AS THE DEFENDANT, MS CASSANDRA ROMANIK, I ASKED HER FOR HER LICENSE, REGISTRATION, AND PROOF OF INSURANCE, WHERE SHE PROVIDED ME WITH HER FLORIDA DRIVER'S LICENSE. WHILE SPEAKING WITH THE DRIVER/DEFENDANT, I ADVISED HER OF THE REASON FOR MY TRAFFIC STOP, TO WHICH SHE AGREED. ALSO WHILE SPEAKING WITH THE DRIVER/DEFENDANT, I OBSERVED HER TO BE VERY NERVOUS AND FIDGETY. I OBSERVED THERE TO BE A PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE, LATER IDENTIFIED AS THE WITNESS, MS ANGELA TAYLOR. WHILE SPEAKING WITH THE DRIVER/DEFENDANT, I ASKED HER IF THERE WAS ANYTHING ILLEGAL IN HER VEHICLE OR ON HER PERSON, TO WHICH SHE ADVISED THERE WAS NOT AND GAVE ME CONSENT TO SEARCH HER VEHICLE. DEPUTY CRUZ (0517) THEN ARRIVED ON SCENE, AT WHICH TIME, I ASKED THE DRIVER/DEFENDANT TO STEP TO THE REAR OF HER VEHICLE TO SPEAK WITH ME, DUE TO HER GIVING CONSENT FOR ME TO SEARCH HER VEHICLE. AS I WAS SPEAKING WITH THE DRIVER/DEFENDANT AT THE REAR OF HER VEHICLE, I ASKED HER IF I WAS GOING TO LOCATE ANYTHING ILLEGAL IN HER VEHICLE OR IF SHE HAD ANYTHING ILLEGAL ON HER PERSON, TO WHICH SHE IMMEDIATELY ADVISED ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING ILLEGAL IN THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, SHE DID HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CRYSTAL METHAMPHETAMINE IN HER FRONT RIGHT POCKET. SHE ADVISED THAT SHE GOT IT FROM A FRIEND AT THE BAR AND DID NOT WANT TO GET IN TROUBLE FOR IT. I ASKED THE DRIVER/DEFENDANT IF SHE WOULD TAKE IT OUT AND PLACE IT ON HER BUMPER, WHICH SHE DID. SHE TOOK A CRINKLED DOLLAR BILL OUT OF HER FRONT RIGHT POCKET AND INSIDE THE CRINKLED DOLLAR BILL WAS TWO SEPARATE CLEAR PLASTIC BAGGIES THAT CONTAINED A CRYSTAL LIKE SUBSTANCE, WHICH THROUGH MY TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE I BELIEVED TO BE CRYSTAL METHAMPHETAMINE. I THEN READ THE DRIVER/DEFENDANT HER MIRANDA RIGHTS VIA A PREPRINTED CARD AND ASKED HER IF SHE WISHED TO SPEAK WITH ME, WHICH SHE DID. I ASKED HER ABOUT THE CRYSTAL METHAMPHETAMINE AND SHE ADVISED IT WAS HERS AND THAT SHE HAD GOT IT FROM AN UNKNOWN PERSON AT THE BAR OVER THE WEEKEND. I ASKED HER IF SHE BOUGHT IT AND SHE ADVISED NO, HER FRIEND HAD GIVEN IT TO HER AND IT WAS JUST FOR PERSONAL USE, AND THAT SHE DID NOT USE METHAMPHETAMINE ON A REGULAR BASIS. SHE FURTHER ADVISED ME THAT SHE COULD NOT AFFORD TO GET IN TROUBLE, DUE TO HER BEING THE OWNER OF COUNTRY SIDE PRESCHOOL. DEPUTY CRUZ STOOD BY WITH THE DRIVER/DEFENDANT AT THE FRONT OF MY PATROL VEHICLE. I FIELD TESTED THE CRYSTAL LIKE SUBSTANCE, WHICH TESTED POSITIVE FOR METHAMPHETAMINE. I THEN MADE CONTACT WITH THE DRIVER/DEFENDANT ONCE AGAIN, WHERE I ADVISED HER THAT SHE WAS BEING PLACED UNDER ARREST FOR POSSESSION OF CRYSTAL METHAMPHETAMINE, WHERE SHE WAS HANDCUFFED (DOUBLE LOCKED), SEARCHED, AND PLACED IN THE REAR OF MY PATROL VEHICLE. I ALSO ADVISED THE DRIVER/DEFENDANT THAT DUE TO HER VEHICLE BEING USED IN THE COMMISSION OF A FELONY, THAT THE CITRUS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WOULD BE SEIZING HER VEHICLE FOR FORFEITURE. SHE WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY AND TURNED OVER TO STAFF. THE DRIVER/DEFENDANT WAS ISSUED WRITTEN WARNING NUMBER 400297B, FOR HER STOP SIGN/STOP BAR VIOLATION AT THE CORNER OF NE 3RD STREET AND NE 3RD AVENUE. THE DRIVER/DEFENDANT'S BOND WAS SET AT $2,000.00. THE EVIDENCE WAS LATER WEIGHED AND PACKAGED AND TURNED IN TO EVIDENCE. IT WEIGHED APPROXIMATELY 0.96 GRAMS. THE DRIVER/DEFENDANT'S VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY SCALLY'S TOWING TO OUR IMPOUND LOT. A TOW SHEET WAS TURNED IN TO RECORDS. THE FORFEITURE PAPERWORK WAS COMPLETED AND THE DRIVER/DEFENDANT WAS ISSUED A COPY. |
