A Jay man who was a pas- senger in a vehicle pulled over for an expired tag Sunday now faces a felony drug charge.
Anthony Harold Hopkins, 39, 7987 Highway 4, was a pas- senger in a white Toyota Camry with a tag that had expired in June 2019 pulled over by law enforcement at the intersection of Highway 87 and Country Mill Road in Milton, according to a Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office report.
The deputy made contact with the driver, Ronald Morris, who told the officer the vehicle had not been oper- ating for some time and that he had just repaired it and was taking it to his house. Morris could not produce registration and proof of insurance, but did provide his Florida driver's license, the report said.
Morris was asked to exit the vehicle for safety due to the number of knives on his person and within arm's reach.
When Hopkins was asked to exit the vehicle, an officer
observed a scale with clear crystalline residue on it in the seat where Hopkins had been sitting, in plain sight, the report noted. Also in the seat was a clear, cellophane baggie containing a clear crystalline substance, which field tested positive for methampheta- mine.
A further search of the vehicle revealed a clear glass pipe under the passenger seat where Hopkins had been sit- ting. The report said next to the pipe was a black cello- phane baggie with a wet pow- der substance inside. The powder weighed approximate- ly .5 gram and the powder tested positive for meth, the report said.
Hopkins was arrested and charged one count felony drug possession and trans- ported to the Santa Rosa County Jail, where he was given a bond of $5,500.
