A Fruitland Park man was arrested Friday after the pickup truck he was riding in was stopped by Lady Lake police.
Eric J. Odell, 36, was a passenger in the gray pickup that was stopped for an expired license plate tag in the area of U.S. Hwy. 27/441 and Banana Street. After the Lady Lake officer asked for and received permission from the driver to search the truck, Odell admitted that there were needles under the seat, according to an arrest report.
A short time later, the officer found needles, three unused syringes and a pill bottle containing a white, cake-like substance that tested positive for cocaine. Odell told the officer that the substance in the pill bottle was either “coke” or “crack” and said he had purchased it about two miles away, the report said.
Odell was transported to the Lake County Jail, where he was charged with possession of a controlled substance.
Odell initially was booked on a $2,000 bond, but three other charges regarding earlier bonds for dealing stolen property, false ownership of pawned items and grand theft were added, bringing his total bond to $11,000.