A repeat drug offender hiding behind a tree was arrested early Monday morning on drug related charges in Fruitland Park.
Police responded to a Fruitland Park residence on Eagles Nest Road at 4:15 a.m. in reference to a suspicious person, according to a Lake County arrest report. An officer observed Vanessa Irene Connell, 29, of Oxford standing behind a tree in front of the residence. Connell appeared to be hiding from the officer’s spotlight, the report stated. Connell did not appear to know where she was and stated that she was homeless, while unable to stand still.
After asking to check Connell’s pockets for anything illegal, the officer located a prescription bottle in her right pocket that contained a small piece of paper, multiple Q-tips, one white olive pill, one white three-quarters of a circular pill and two small clear crystal like substances, which field tested positive for methamphetamine.
The pills were identified as Hydrocodone and Hydrochloride.
She was arrested on three charges of possession of controlled substances and was transported to Lake County Jail. Bond was set at $6,000.
Connell has been arrested before multiple times for drug possession. You can read about a recent arrest HERE
