Two Orlando men were arrested earlier today after being stopped by an Orange County Sheriff’s Deputy for a traffic infraction. Deputy Richard Febo pulled over driver Derrick Newton, 30, who was driving with his door open while trying to flirt with a woman in the parking lot near Hiawassee and Silver Star roads. When asked by the Deputy why he was driving with his door open, Newton reportedly stated, “Man, I was hollering at that girl.”
As Deputy Febo spoke with Newton, he could smell marijuana coming from Newton’s vehicle and called for a back-up deputy to assist him. After stepping outside his vehicle, Newton agreed to be patted down, but would not let the deputy search his car and told the deputy he didn’t have an illegal guns or drugs, according to an arrest report.
The Deputy’s search of Newton’s vehicle netted 40.7 grams of crack cocaine, 249.7 grams of marijuana and a loaded .357 revolver, according to the report. Deputies also found a large pink purse in the trunk, which held a digital scale and most of the marijuana, the report stated.
Newton’s passenger, Andrew Johnson, was also arrested. Deputies found more than $4,960 in Johnson’s pockets when he was patted down. Johnson told deputies he recently sold a gold necklace for $3,800, but couldn’t tell deputies where he sold it and didn’t have a receipt. He later changed his story about why he had so much cash in his pockets, according to his arrest affidavit.
Johnson was charged with seven counts, including drug and gun charges. Newton is facing six charges, including trafficking in cocaine and possession of a firearm in commission of a felony. He faced an additional charge of introducing contraband into the jail, after he told officials he had marijuana in his wallet, reports show.
Both men are being held at the Orange County Jail on more than $100,000 bond each.