A Wildwood man was arrested after an officer found two loaded guns and bags of marijuana in his vehicle.
An officer patrolling close to Seasons at the Grove by Richmond American Homes, located at 1683 Sugarbelle Cir., noticed a silver Nissan Altima parked in reverse on a nearby property around 10:10 p.m. Tuesday, according to an arrest report from the Mascotte Police Department. The driver, later identified as 20-year-old Aaiden Cashe Clements, had been sitting there for three hours with the engine running and headlights on.
Due to recent break-ins in the area, the property’s designation as a Community Redevelopment Area, and two drug arrests in the last two weeks, the officer approached the vehicle for a welfare check. He wanted to determine if Clements was having a medical emergency, under the influence or involved in criminal activity, the report said.
Clements quickly sat upright as the officer came closer to knock on the window. He looked startled, advising that he did not live at the residence where he was parked. He claimed to be waiting for his “brother,” the report said.
During this conversation, the officer saw Clements rest his right hand on the gear shift. He struggled to keep eye contact, and his voice became shaky. He repeatedly looked toward his feet, too, which made the officer concerned for his safety, the report said.
Clements could not give a good enough reason as to why he was parked on a stranger’s property, either, so he was asked to step out of the vehicle. He refused, saying he was uncomfortable. The officer explained he was not under arrest but rather detained due to being on private property where he did not live or know the residents, the report said.
The officer then opened the driver’s door and told Clements to step out. He asked if there was anything in the vehicle that should not be, and he replied, “Maybe, whatever he had, I don’t know.” When the officer asked for consent to search it, Clements tried to walk toward the driver’s door, the report said.
The officer instructed him not to and questioned him again. Clements changed his answer to say he believed there was something illegal in the vehicle. A subsequent search revealed two loaded firearms under the floorboard, including a gray and black FMK 9mm and a black Taurus G2C 9mm. A check of their serial numbers yielded no records, the report said.
The search continued until the officer found a large plastic bag in the center console. Inside were two smaller bags of marijuana totaling 54.75 grams. Clements refused to answer questions about any of these discoveries. No contact was made with his “brother” throughout the entirety of the incident, as he did not know where he was at, the report said.
Clements was arrested on charges of possession of a firearm during a felony and possession of marijuana (more than 20 grams). He was transported to Lake County Jail and released after posting $7,500 bond.