COPS CORNER 12.10.18

OCOEE

Nov. 24 

West Colonial Drive. Cannabis possession. At midnight, an officer conducting stationary speed enforcement on West Colonial Drive near Vizcaya Lake Road spotted a vehicle traveling at 70 mph. The officer conducted a traffic stop and requested the driver’s documentation, but the driver informed the officer he did not have a license. He then told the officer he was in a hurry because he was heading toward the hospital to see his son’s birth. When asked which hospital, the driver stated he did not know. The vehicle's passenger chimed in and said it was Health Central Hospital, and the officer informed them they had already passed the hospital. The officer then searched the driver and discovered a large bag containing cannabis that fell out of the driver’s shorts from between his legs. The driver was charged with possession of marijuana and driving without a license.

Dec. 2

10500 West Colonial Drive. Retail theft. At 9 a.m., a law-enforcement officer was dispatched to a Walmart and was informed by a store manager that a 58-year-old man had attempted to steal $420 worth of merchandise by exiting the store through the Tire and Lube center in a motorized shopping cart. When confronted, the man told the manager the merchandise was all presents for his grandkids. The man was placed in a patrol vehicle for transport to Orange County Jail. During transport, the man stated he was not scared of the officer and would break the officer’s neck when given the chance. The man then started to pass gas in the patrol vehicle, according to the report.

OAKLAND

Dec. 1

17503 West Colonial Drive. DUI. At about 8:50 p.m., an officer parked at a gas station spotted a woman attempting to open her car’s door. According to the officer, it appeared “as if (the woman’s) neck could not support her head, as it was continually swaying, bobbing, and swinging,” which caught the officer’s attention. After entering her car and backing out of the parking space, the woman took several too-wide turns that led her into lanes designated for oncoming traffic. After the third time, the officer, who had been following behind, pulled her over. While interacting with the driver, the officer noticed she was unable to control her head and was talking very rapidly and periodically sticking her tongue out. When asked why she was doing that, the driver said she did not realize she was, and added that she was very thirsty. The officer then asked if she had any medical conditions that might impair her driving ability. She said she did not, but added she is currently prescribed several medications, including amlodipine, palate, lamotrigine and clonazepam. During a vehicle search, the officer located a substance that tested positive for methamphetamine in the seams of the driver seat. The driver was arrested and charged with a DUI.

Dec. 7

Oakland Avenue and Tubb Street. DUI. At approximately 2:55 a.m., an officer was informed of a suspicious vehicle traveling west on West Colonial Drive that had just pulled out of a cemetery and had no headlights on. The vehicle was observed swerving lane to lane, using all three lanes on the roadway. A traffic stop was conducted on the vehicle. Before confronting the female driver, the officer immediately noticed what appeared to be “recent stomach contents that had been vomited up” on the driver’s side side skirts and detected an alcoholic odor, according to the arrest report. During questioning, the officer asked the driver where she had been, and the driver stated she had been studying for a final exam at Axum Coffee and was on her way home in Clermont. When asked where she had been during the three hours since Axum had closed, the driver shared she had gone to Pilars and consumed two alcoholic drinks. During a field sobriety test, the driver showed physical signs of inebriation. The driver later provided breath samples indicating a blood alcohol level of about 0.88.