| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: HUNTER, JEFFERY 0441 (AR11124015) THE DEFENDANT DID UNLAWFULLY RESIST, OBSTRUCT OR OPPOSE DEPUTY JEFFERY HUNTER OF THE CITRUS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WHO WAS THEN AND THERE IN THE LAWFUL EXECUTION OF A LEGAL DUTY, OR EXECUTION OF LEGAL PROCESS, TO WIT: INVESTIGATING A HIT AND RUN TRAFFIC CRASH, WITHOUT OFFERING OR DOING VIOLENCE TO THE PERSON OF SUCH OFFICER, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTE 843.02 AND THE DRIVER DID, HAVING BEEN INVOLVED IN A CRASH RESULTING ONLY IN DAMAGE OF FIFTY DOLLARS OR MORE TO A VEHICLE OR OTHER PROPERTY DRIVEN OR ATTENDED BY ANY PERSON, NOT IMMEDIATELY STOP SUCH VEHICLE AT THE SCENE OF SUCH CRASH OR AS CLOSE THERETO AS POSSIBLE AND PROVIDE THE REQUIRED INFORMATION OF 316.062, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTE 316.061(1) ON 121811, I RESPONDED TO THE WALMART SUPERCENTER IN INVERNESS IN REFERENCE TO A HIT AND RUN TRAFFIC CRASH, INCIDENT NUMBER11244914. I MADE CONTACT WITH ASSET PROTECTION/LOSS PREVENTION OFFICER MR DALE WILLIAMS WHO PROVIDED ME WITH A DRIVER'S LICENSE NUMBER FOR ONE OF THE SUSPECTS WHO HAD BEEN IN THE HIT AND RUN VEHICLE. MR WILLIAMS STATED HE HAD OBTAINED THIS INFORMATION BY VIEWING SURVEILLANCE VIDEO SHOWING THAT THE OCCUPANTS IN THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN THE WALMART SUPERCENTER JEWELRY DEPARTMENT, HAVING A CHILD'S EARS PIERCED, WHICH REQUIRED THEM TO LEAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE NUMBER. A CHECK OF THE DRIVER'S LICENSE CAME BACK TO A MS SHARON EASTERLY LIVING AT 884 WEST MASSACHUSETTS STREET IN HERNANDO. I OBSERVED THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO OF THE INCIDENT MR WILLIAMS HAD PROVIDED AND OBSERVED A GOLD TOYOTA FOUR-RUNNER BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, STRIKING THE FRONT OF A BLUE STATION WAGON. A WHITE MALE, WHO WAS APPROXIMATELY 5'09" TALL WITH A MEDIUM BUILD, EXITED THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE GOLD TOYOTA AND WAS SEEN CONVERSING WITH THE DRIVER OF THE BLUE STATION WAGON. WHILE DOING THIS, THE PASSENGER IN THE GOLD TOYOTA, WHO WAS APPROXIMATELY 5'10" TALL WITH REDDISH CURLY HAIR, GOT INTO THE DRIVER SEAT OF THE GOLD TOYOTA AND MOVED THE GOLD TOYOTA TO THE END OF THE ROW. THE WHITE MALE FOLLOWS A FEW MINUTES LATER, GETS IN TO THE PASSENGER SEAT AND THE GOLD TOYOTA LEAVES THE PARKING LOT. AT APPROXIMATELY 1752 HOURS, I RESPONDED TO 884 WEST MASSACHUSETTS STREET IN HERNANDO IN REFERENCE TO A FOLLOW UP INVESTIGATION OF THE HIT AND RUN TRAFFIC CRASH. I MADE CONTACT WITH WITNESS TWO IN THE DRIVEWAY OF THE RESIDENCE. SHE ASKED WHY I WAS AT THE HOME AND I ADVISED HER THAT THE GOLD TOYOTA FOUR-RUNNER VEHICLE IN HER DRIVEWAY HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN A HIT AND RUN TRAFFIC CRASH. AS I WAS SPEAKING WITH WITNESS TWO, DEFENDANT ONE, MS EASTERLY, AND DEFENDANT TWO, MR JAMES MEGGISON, EXITED THE RESIDENCE THROUGH THE DOOR LEADING FROM THE HOUSE IN TO THE GARAGE AND OUT THE OPEN GARAGE DOOR. BOTH SUBJECTS WERE SPEWING OBSCENITIES AND HIGHLY AGITATED AT MY PRESENCE. MR MEGGISON TOLD ME HE HAD DONE NOTHING WRONG AND TOLD ME TO "FUCK OFF," BEFORE I HAD SAID ANYTHING TO HIM. I TOLD MR MEGGISON THAT I WOULD OBTAIN A WARRANT FOR LEAVING THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT AND ARREST HIM AT A LATER DATE, AT WHICH TIME I BEGAN RETURNING TO MY PATROL VEHICLE. AT THAT POINT, MS EASTERLY STATED "HOLD ON, WE WERE THERE, WHAT DO YOU NEED?" I TOLD HER I NEEDED THE DRIVER'S LICENSE, THE VEHICLE REGISTRATION AND PROOF OF INSURANCE FOR THE PERSON WHO HAD BEEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE HIT AND RUN TRAFFIC CRASH. MS EASTERLY BEGAN TO LOOK FOR THE REQUESTED DOCUMENTS WHILE MR MEGGISON CONTINUED TO SCREAM OBSCENITIES AT ME. I ADVISED MR MEGGISON TO CALM DOWN AS I HAD PROBABLE CAUSE FOR HIS ARREST, REFERENCE THE ACCIDENT. MR MEGGISON CONTINUED WITH HIS TIRADE. BOTH WITNESS TWO AND MS EASTERLY TOLD MR MEGGISON SEVERAL TIMES "SHUT UP." I FINALLY TOLD MS EASTERLY TO HAVE MR MEGGISON RETURN INSIDE THE HOME SO THAT WE COULD COMPLETE OUR BUSINESS. MR MEGGISON CONTINUED SCREAMING AND CURSING AS WITNESS TWO AND MS EASTERLY CONTINUED TO PUSH HIM BACK TOWARD THE DOOR. AT THAT POINT, DUE TO MR MEGGISON'S BEHAVIOR AND HIS LACK OF CONCERN FOR THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE HE HIT, I ADVISED MR MEGGISON TO STOP AND THAT HE WAS UNDER ARREST. MR MEGGISON IMMEDIATELY TURNED AND BOLTED FOR THE GARAGE DOOR, LEADING IN TO THE HOME. I PURSUED MR MEGGISON, TELLING HIM REPEATEDLY TO STOP, THAT HE WAS UNDER ARREST BUT HE CONTINUED TO MOVE AWAY. AT THAT POINT, MS EASTERLY INTERPOSED HERSELF BETWEEN MR MEGGISON AND I AND PUSHED ME BACKWARD. I PUSHED PAST MS EASTERLY AND CONTINUED AFTER MR MEGGISON. MS EASTERLY CONTINUED TO ATTEMPT TO HINDER MY MOVEMENTS AND IN DOING SO, SHE GRABBED HOLD OF MY RADIO, PULLING IT FREE FROM ITS HOLSTER. BY THIS TIME, MR MEGGISON WAS AT THE DOOR LEADING INTO THE HOME. I DREW MY AGENCY ISSUED TASER, ACTIVATED THE LASER, LEVELED AT MR MEGGISON AND COMMANDED HIM TO STOP IMMEDIATELY. AT THAT POINT, MR MEGGISON STOPPED BUT CONTINUED TO RESIST DURING THE HANDCUFFING PROCEDURE BY PULLING AWAY AND REFUSING TO PUT HIS HANDS BEHIND HIS BACK. AFTER I HANDCUFFED MR MEGGISON, I WAS ABLE TO RETRIEVE MY RADIO AND CALL FOR A BACKUP DEPUTY. I THEN ADVISED MS EASTERLY THAT SHE WAS UNDER ARREST, AT WHICH TIME SHE BECAME RESISTANT, PULLING AWAY AND REFUSING TO PUT HER HANDS BEHIND HER BACK. AFTER I HANDCUFFED HER, DEPUTY ELDRIDGE ARRIVED ON SCENE. MS EASTERLY WAS THEN SECURED IN THE REAR SEAT OF DEPUTY ELDRIDGE'S PATROL VEHICLE AND TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY FOR FURTHER PROCESSING. I TRANSPORTED MR MEGGISON TO THE DETENTION FACILITY. UPON ARRIVAL, HE WAS REAR HIS MIRANDA WARNINGS FROM A PREPRINTED AGENCY CARD, TO WHICH HE STATED HE UNDERSTOOD HIS RIGHTS AND AGREED TO SPEAK WITH ME. MR MEGGISON STATED THEY HAD LEFT THE SCENE SINCE THEY DID NOT CURRENTLY HAVE INSURANCE ON THEIR VEHICLE. MR MEGGISON WAS CHARGED WITH RESISTING ARREST WITHOUT VIOLENCE AND LEAVING THE SCENE OF A TRAFFIC CRASH WITH MORE THAN FIFTY DOLLARS IN DAMAGE, WITHOUT SUPPLYING THE REQUIRED INFORMATION. HIS BOND WAS SET AT A TOTAL OF $750.00, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BOND SCHEDULE. "If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in this proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. Please contact the ADA Coordinator at the Office of the Trial Court Administrator, Citrus County Courthouse, 110 North Apopka Avenue, Inverness, Florida 34450, Telephone (352) 341-6700, at least 7 days before your scheduled court appearance, or immediately upon receiving this notification if the time before the scheduled appearance is less than 7 days; if you are hearing or voice impaired, call 711.” *NOT-EXEMPT* |
