| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: BLAIR, EDWARD 0469 (AR08101822) DID KNOWINGLY, WHILE HIS OPERATOR'S OR CHAUFFEUR'S LICENSE OR DRIVING PRIVILEGE HAD BEEN CANCELLED, SUSPENDED OR REVOKED, DRIVE UPON THE HIGHWAYS OF THIS STATE, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTE 322.34(2)(A), AND DID KNOWINGLY attacheD TAG to a motor vehicle THAT was not issued OR assigned or lawfully transferred to such vehicle, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTE 320.261, AND DID UnlawfulLY alter motor vehicle registration certificate, license plate, mobile home sticker, or validation sticker, IN THAT NO person shall alter the original appearance of any registration license plate, mobile home sticker, validation sticker, or vehicle registration certificate issued for and assigned to any motor vehicle or mobile home, whether by mutilation, alteration, defacement, or change of color or in any other manner, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTE 322.061. ON 022108, AT APPROXIMATELY 0800 HOURS, WHILE CONDUCTING ROUTINE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT, THIS DEPUTY OBSERVED A WHITE TWO DOOR PONTIAC TRAVELING NORTH ON U S HIGHWAY 19 APPROACHING THE INTERSECTION OF WEST GREEN ACRES STREET. WHILE BEHIND THE VEHICLE, THIS DEPUTY RAN THE VEHICLE'S LICENSE PLATE OF R721WV WHICH REVEALED IT WAS REGISTERED TO A MOTORHOME NOT MATCHING THE DESCRIPTION OF THE VEHICLE. AT THIS TIME, I CONDUCTED A TRAFFIC STOP AT THE INTERSECTION OF WEST GREEN ACRES STREET AND HIGHWAY 19. I EXITED MY PATROL VEHICLE AND MADE CONTACT WITH THE DRIVER WHO WAS ASKED FOR HIS DRIVER'S LICENSE AND REGISTRATION, TO WHICH THE DRIVER (DEFENDANT), IDENTIFIED AS MR DANIEL MCDONALD, STATED HE DID NOT HAVE ONE. TO CLARIFY, THIS DEPUTY ASKED THE DEFENDANT IF HE MAINTAINED A VALID FLORIDA DRIVER'S LICENSE, TO WHICH HE STATED NO, IT WAS REVOKED FOR DRIVING WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE (DUI). THE DEFENDANT PROVIDED ME WITH HIS FLORIDA IDENTIFICATION CARD AND AN EXPIRED FLORIDA DRIVER'S LICENSE BEARING HIS NAME AND PHOTO. AS I RETURNED TO MY PATROL VEHICLE, I OBSERVED THE VEHICLE'S TAG WITH A CURRENT DECAL EXPIRING 0908. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THIS DEPUTY OBSERVED THE YELLOW DECAL TO HAVE BEEN ALTERED. THE YELLOW DECAL NUMBER 13548827 APPEARED ON THE TAG COVERING THE PRIOR YELLOW DECAL FOR the REGISTERED TAG. WITH THIS INFORMATION, I THEN MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEFENDANT AGAIN WHO WAS ASKED ABOUT THESE FINDINGS. THE DEFENDANT STATED THAT THE TAG WAS FROM THE MOTORHOME HE RESIDES IN AND THAT THE YELLOW CURRENT DECAL WAS FROM A BOAT WHICH HE OWNS. THE DEFENDANT ADMITTED TO PLACING THE ALTERED YELLOW DECAL ONTO THE LICENSE PLATE AND FURTHERMORE ADMITTED TO PLACING THE LICENSE PLATE ON THE PONTIAC, WHICH HE PURCHASED FROM A SUBJECT IN INVERNESS. THE DEFENDANT ADMITTED TO NOT REGISTERING THE VEHICLE IN HIS NAME. WITH THE INFORMATION PROVIDED, I THEN RETURNED TO MY PATROL VEHICLE TO CONFIRM THESE FINDINGS. THIS DEPUTY THEN RAN DECAL 13548827 WHICH REVEALED A BOAT REGISTERED TO THE DEFENDANT CONFIRMING HIS STATEMENTS. I AGAIN EXITED MY PATROL VEHICLE AND MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEFENDANT AND ADVISED HIM HE WAS BEING PLACED UNDER ARREST FOR DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED/REVOKED (DWLS/R), ATTACHED TAG NOT ASSIGNED, AND ALTERED TAG. THE TAG WAS THEN COLLECTED AND LATER TURNED INTO EVIDENCE. THE DEFENDANT WAS THEN HANDCUFFED BEHIND HIS BACK (DOUBLE LOCKED), PLACED IN THE REAR SEAT OF MY PATROL VEHICLE, AND TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY FOR BOOKING, WHERE HIS TOTAL BOND WAS SET AT $10,500.00 PER THE BOND SCHEDULE. *NOT-EXEMPT* |
