A man and a woman were arrested after a law enforcement officer spotted what appeared to be suspicious activity at the Circle K gas station/convenience store on the Historic Side of The Villages.
The officer was watching this past Tuesday night as 44-year-old Jason Mehlech Hering of Summerfield parked at the Circle K and got out of the driver’s side of the vehicle, according to an arrest report from the Lady Lake Police Department. He walked away from the car and returned to reach under the seat “multiple times.” Herring proceeded to the rear of the car and “began to move items around in the trunk.”
Tobie Nicole Callaway, 31, of Ocala, got behind the wheel and drove away with Hering in the passenger seat. Due to the suspicious activity and the fact that a check of the license plate revealed the vehicle’s registered owner has a suspended driver’s license, the officer initiated a traffic stop at U.S. Hwy. 27/441 at the Wales Plaza Gate on the Historic Side of The Villages.
A K-9 unit was summoned to the scene and the dog alerted on the vehicle, indicating the likely presence of drugs.
A container which held 16 methylphenidate pills was found under the driver’s seat along with a syringe which contained a liquid identified as methamphetamine.
The officer confirmed that Hering has a suspended license. Hering said he “knew” he would be in trouble for driving and said he wanted to “do the right thing” and asked Callaway to drive. Hering admitted he saw the officer watching him.
Callaway was also found to be in possession of methamphetamine.
Both were taken into custody and booked at the Lake County Jail.
