MOUNT DORA, Fla.—An anonymous tip to Mount Dora Police Department late Tuesday night proved true when officers pulled a car over and found exactly what the tipster said would be in it, according to an arrest affidavit.
The Lake County Communications Center received a call from an anonymous female at 11:55 p.m. Tuesday, who said a silver Dodge Charger with a motorized scooter attached to the back would be traveling to the area of Jackson Avenue and Simpson Street and picking up a man who was in possession of cocaine and methamphetamine. The caller said the Charger would be traveling to a hotel in Leesburg and provided the license plate, the affidavit states.
Officers canvassed the area and were unable to find the vehicle until approximately 45 minutes later when a K-9 handler observed it leaving Wawa, 17700 U.S. Highway 441. The car had an obscured license plate and was pulled over, according to the affidavit.
The driver was identified as Ernest Tate Jr., 55, “a known narcotics dealer,” the affidavit states, and the passenger was identified but Inside Lake is not naming her because she was not charged with a crime. The officer walked K-9 Mac around the vehicle, he alerted, and the car was searched. Police found 13 small bags each with approximately .5 gram of a rock-like substance that field-tested positive for cocaine, another bag that contained 4 grams of powder cocaine, 3.5 oxycodone hydrochloride pills and six bags that contained a total of 3.6 grams of methamphetamine, along with a scale, empty bags and $110 in small denominations, according to the affidavit.
Tate was arrested for possession of cocaine with intent to sell, possession of methamphetamine, possession of oxycodone and possession of drug equipment. He was transported to the Lake County Jail, where he was released on $10,000 bond.
