What started as a missing registration sticker on Highway 42 in South Marion County ended with deputies finding more than just paperwork issues.
Around 7:50 p.m. Monday, a deputy stopped a black Mercedes near SE 86th Court after spotting the plate with no current registration. The driver, identified as David Anthony Hamrick, 37, of Fort Walton Beach, admitted his license was suspended and offered only a Florida ID card in place of a driver’s license.
The stop went downhill from there. A search of Hamrick’s wallet turned up a small bag of powder and crystals. When asked what it was, he ruled out fentanyl but suggested it “could be” cocaine, noting it had been in his wallet a long time. Field tests confirmed both cocaine and methamphetamine. Deputies also found a glass pipe in the car’s footwell.
Hamrick was arrested on charges including possession of cocaine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving with a suspended license (second offense), and operating an unregistered motor vehicle. His bond was set at $5,000.
The Mercedes, unregistered but stylish enough to draw attention, was towed from the scene.
