A Fruitland Park man apprehended for cocaine slammed his head into a cop truck, cutting his head.
At 2:15 a.m., an officer noticed a red Dodge Grand Caravan heading northbound on U.S. Highway 27/441. The Fruitland Park Police Department issued an arrest report on Friday, May 8. He recognized the driver as Ryan Marshall Freeman, 38, whose license had been suspended twice for unpaid traffic fines. It had also been cancelled in March.
Knowing this, the officer conducted a traffic stop on Picciola and Picciola Cutoff Roads. Freeman admitted he didn’t have a license and that it had been suspended. According to the report, he then denied having anything illicit in his vehicle while also refusing to cooperate with the search.
The report stated that the officer had probable grounds to suspect Freeman was driving purposefully and illegally while knowing his license was suspended. As a result, he extended the traffic stop and sent his K-9 companion to search for drugs. The K-9 detected the stench of narcotics, prompting a search of the vehicle.
As the officer unlocked the driver’s door, he noticed a pack of cigarettes in the door pocket, which included the same sort of cigarette that Freeman was smoking at the time of the traffic stop. Inside the package was a translucent plastic wrapper containing several pieces of cocaine. He also discovered a brown bag partially buried behind the driver’s seat. According to the report, it consisted of a glass pipe with white residue and a tightly wound piece of Brillo at one end.
The officer returned to Freeman at that point and handcuffed him before conducting the search. He overheard Freeman argue with another officer on the site, so he decided to place him in the back of a police vehicle. During the search, however, he slammed his head just above the right-rear door, according to reports.
The officer restrained Freeman against the automobile to keep him from injuring himself and urged him to stop or be brought to the ground. He immediately stiffened his body and attempted to pull away, claiming he had nothing on him. According to the report, the officer opened the door to put him in the vehicle, and he again slammed his head on the automobile.
Freeman was then brought to the ground and held there for a few seconds until he relaxed. After being relocated to the back of the police van, he began beating his head on the prisoner barrier. According to the complaint, the officer took him from the vehicle, urged him to stop, and attempted to get him back inside.
Freeman said, “I don’t want to go in the car right now,” as he tensed his body and refused to sit. The cop pulled his waist inside the truck and closed the door. A few moments later, the officer was informed that Freeman had a slight laceration on his head. According to the complaint, EMS later evaluated him, but he refused to be transferred to the hospital.
Freeman was arrested for cocaine possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving with a suspended or revoked license knowingly (second offense). He was booked into the Lake County Jail, and bond was set at $4,500.
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