MONROE COUNTY, Fla. – A 53-year-old Florida man was arrested Saturday night in Marathon, Florida, for possession of cocaine and tampering with evidence after a dramatic encounter in a parking lot.
Johnnie Leatherwood was sitting in the Kmart parking lot around 10:40 p.m. when deputies from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office approached.
Upon noticing law enforcement, Leatherwood reportedly panicked and began consuming the contents of two small plastic bags. According to authorities, Leatherwood admitted to ingesting the substance, stating he was trying to dispose of the cocaine.
The contents of the baggies field-tested positive for cocaine.
Leatherwood was transported to Fishermen’s Hospital in Marathon for evaluation and treatment. After being medically cleared, he was taken into custody and booked into jail on charges of cocaine possession and evidence tampering.
No further details were immediately available. The case remains under investigation.
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