LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — The Florida Highway Patrol arrested a man for drug possession after he was seen throwing out evidence from his vehicle in Lake County.
The incident occurred around 9:53 a.m. on April 2, 2026, after troopers observed a Mercedes-Benz SUV following another vehicle too closely. The driver, George Parks, was also cited for making unsafe lane changes in heavy traffic before the drug investigation began.
Troopers first noticed the dark-colored Mercedes-Benz SUV near the 280 Mile Marker. The vehicle was traveling less than 30 feet behind another car. According to the FHP, the driver also made an abrupt lane change in heavy traffic, cutting off a commercial semi-truck without signaling before returning to the left lane.
When law enforcement activated emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop, the driver turned on a right turn signal but did not immediately pull over. The vehicle continued traveling in the right lane in a controlled manner, passing several areas where a safe stop was possible. Officers noted the driver appeared to be preparing to flee.
As the vehicle continued moving, troopers saw a clear plastic bag and multiple pieces of a white substance being thrown from the driver’s side window. The substance was identified by authorities as suspected cocaine base, also known as crack cocaine. FHP investigators stated it appeared the driver was attempting to destroy evidence.
The driver eventually pulled into a construction zone on the right side of the turnpike. As the vehicle stopped, troopers observed more white substances being thrown out of the window while the driver rapidly searched the interior of the car. Troopers then boxed the vehicle in to prevent further movement.
The driver was ordered out of the vehicle at gunpoint for officer safety. Parks complied with the instructions and was detained in a patrol vehicle.
Law enforcement recovered pieces of cocaine from the roadway next to the driver’s side door. Residual white powder was found on the door handle and the exterior of the vehicle. Parks also had suspected cocaine on his shirt and pants, with additional pieces located on the center console, passenger seat, and floorboard.
The substances recovered from the scene weighed approximately one gram. Both the white pieces and the plastic bag recovered from the road field-tested positive for the presence of cocaine.
Parks was charged with possession of cocaine, tampering with physical evidence, and resisting without violence. He was later transported to the Lake County Jail.
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