An Ocklawaha man was arrested with meth after being stopped for an expired tag and questioned about a suspended license.
Deputies observed the driver of a gold Chevrolet Tahoe, later identified as 51-year-old Brian Lee Yates, near SE 95th Street Road and SE 183rd Avenue Road, Ocklawaha, on Thursday, according to an arrest report from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. A computer search revealed the tag to be expired on Jan. 22, 2024.
The deputies conducted a traffic stop at the 9700 block of SE 183rd Avenue Road. Upon making contact with Yates, he advised that he was recently pulled over by law enforcement and informed about his tag, the report said.
A search showed that Yates got a ticket on Sept. 27, 2024, regarding his tag being expired by more than six months. He also had a suspended license for not paying the ticket on Dec. 23, 2024. Yates was aware his license was suspended, the report said.
The deputies later searched his vehicle and found a purple bag in the center console containing two lighters and a crystalline substance. This tested positive for methamphetamine, the report said.
Yates was arrested on charges of driving while license suspended/revoked, expired motor vehicle registration over six months and possession of controlled substance without prescription. He was transported to the Marion County Jail with bond set at $3,500.