| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: FERGUSON, ROBERT ADAM 0505 (AR17-22708) did unlawfully and knowingly obtain, use or endeavor to obtain or use the property of THE VICTIM, To-wit: 2016 JEEP WRANGLE BEARING TAG NUMBER I036ZW, by exercising control over said property with the intent to either temporarily or permanently deprive THE VICTIM of a right to the property or a benefit thereof, or did appropriate the property to HIS own use or the use of any person not entitled thereto, and knew or should have known that said property was stolen, in violation of Florida Statute NUMBER 812.014(2)(c)(6), AND DID, KNOWING HIS DRIVERâS LICENSE OR DRIVING PRIVILEGE HAD BEEN CANCELLED, SUSPENDED OR REVOKED, DRIVE A MOTOR VEHICLE UPON THE HIGHWAYS OF THIS STATE WHILE SUCH LICENSE OR PRIVILEGE WAS CANCELLED, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTE 322.34(2)(A). ON 021917, WHILE CONDUCTING ROUTINE TRAFFIC CONTROL IN THE AREA OF OLD FLORAL CITY ROAD AND SANDPIPER DRIVE, I OBSERVED A WHITE JEEP WRANGLER TRAVELLING NORTH. UPON RUNNING THE VEHICLEâS TAG NUMBER I036ZW, IT DID NOT COME BACK TO THAT VEHICLE. I CONDUCTED A TRAFFIC STOP AT OLD FLORAL CITY ROAD AND FORT COOPER STATE PARK. I MADE CONTACT WITH THE DRIVER WHO PROVIDED ME WITH AN IDENTIFICATION CARD IDENTIFYING HIMSELF AS MR MARK CARTWRIGHT. MR CARTWRIGHT ADVISED THAT HIS LICENSE WAS SUSPENDED AND HAS BEEN SUSPENDED FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR. I ASKED MR CARTWRIGHT TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, AT WHICH TIME HE WAS PLACED UNDER ARREST, HANDCUFFED (DOUBLE LOCKED) BEHIND HIS BACK AND SECURED IN THE REAR SEAT OF MY PATROL VEHICLE. I ATTEMPTED TO READ THE ââVINââ NUMBER OFF THE DASH OF THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER I OBSERVED THAT IT HAD BEEN REMOVED AND HAD TO LOCATE A SECONDARY ââVINââ NUMBER ON THE DRIVERâS SIDE DOOR JAMB. UPON RUNNING THE ââVINââ THROUGH TELETYPE I WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STOLEN OUT OF HERNANDO COUNTY. I AGAIN MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEFENDANT. HE WAS READ HIS MIRANDA WARNINGS FROM AN AGENCY ISSUED PREPRINTED CARD. AFTER WHICH, HE ADVISED HE UNDERSTOOD HIS RIGHTS AND AGREED TO SPEAK WITH ME. MR CARTWRIGHT ADVISED THAT HE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE FROM HIS BOSS. HE STATED THAT HIS BOSSâ NAME WAS ââRICHARD THE PLUMBER.ââ WHEN ASKED WHAT HIS BOSSâ LAST NAME WAS MR CARTWRIGHT COULD NOT ADVISE. WHILE I CONTINUED TO SPEAK WITH MR CARTWRIGHT, HE CHANGED HIS INITIAL STATEMENT STATING THAT HE WAS ONLY RENTING THE VEHICLE FOR ONE-HUNDRED DOLLARS A WEEK AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO PAY FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS. MR CARTWRIGHT FURTHER ADVISED THAT APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS AGO HE DISCOVERED AFTER RUNNING THE ââVINââ NUMBER THROUGH ââFDLEââ WEBSITE THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPORTED STOLEN. MR CARTWRIGHT ADVISED THAT HE THEN CONTACTED THE OWNER WHO ADVISED HIM THAT IT WAS JUST A MISUNDERSTANDING AND THAT HE WOULD HAVE THE ISSUE CORRECTED. MR CARTWRIGHT REQUESTED THAT THE OWNER HAVE A DEPUTY SPEAK WITH HIM WHEN IT WAS CORRECTED. MR CARTWRIGHT DID NOT TAKE ANY STEPS TO CONTACT LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ADVISED THAT HE HAD MISSED A PHONE CALL FROM THE HERNANDO COUNTY SHERIFFâS OFFICE, WHICH HE DID NOT RETURN. CONTACT WAS MADE WITH THE REGISTERED OWNER, MR RICHARD FLEMING, WHO ADVISED THAT HE HAD NEVER GIVEN ANYONE PERMISSION TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. He advised when the vehicle was stolen he was at a friendâs residence tHREE HOUSES DOWN FROM HIS. HE ADVISED HE WAS INSIDE HIS FRIENDâS RESIDENCE FOR LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES BEFORE WALKING OUTSIDE AND DISCOVERING HIS VEHICLE HAD BEEN STOLEN. MR FLEMING ADVISED THAT HE DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE SUSPECTâS NAME AND HE HAS NEVER EMPLOYED MR CARTWRIGHT AND DOES NOT OWN A SHRIMP BOAT, WHICH IS HOW MR CARTWRIGHT ADVISED HE HAD WORKED FOR HIM. THE DEFENDANT WAS THEN TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY FOR BOOKING AND PROCESSING. HE WAS CHARGED WITH ONE COUNT GRAND THEFT AUTO WITH BOND SET AT $2,000.00 AND ONE COUNT DRIVING WITH LICENSE SUSPENDED KNOWINGLY WITH BOND SET AT $1,000.00. THE DEFENDANT WAS ISSUED UNIFORM TRAFFIC CITATION (UTC) NUMBER A21DKOP FOR DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED KNOWINGLY. THE DEFENDANTâS TOTAL BOND WAS SET AT $3,000.00, PER THE BOND SCHEDULE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY SCALLYâS TOWING AND THE OWNER WAS MADE AWARE OF WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS LOCATED. THE INTERVIEW WITH THE DEFENDANT WAS RECORDED, ALONG WITH STATEMENTS PROVIDED BY TWO PASSENGERS, MS LEEANN ROBERTS AND MR DAMEON ROBERTS, WHICH WILL BE TURNED INTO QUETEL. |
