An early-morning traffic stop involving an ATV with no lights and a tiny trailer led to a fentanyl trafficking charge Thursday in Ocklawaha, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
Daniel Christopher Novak, 51, of Ocklawaha, was arrested Oct. 2 on charges of trafficking in fentanyl, possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana and driving with a suspended license as a habitual offender.
According to the arrest affidavit, a deputy was traveling south on SE 183rd Avenue Road shortly after 4 a.m. when he spotted an ATV traveling in the opposite direction with no lights and pulling a small trailer. The deputy turned around and found the ATV stopped along the shoulder near the 4000 block of SE 183rd Avenue Road.
Novak reportedly told the deputy that boxes on the trailer had fallen over when he moved onto the grass and that he had stopped to pick them up. He also allegedly acknowledged that he did not have a driver’s license and was listed as a habitual traffic offender. The deputy wrote that Novak had not held a valid driver’s license since 2003.
A records check showed Novak had previously been convicted in Marion County of driving with a suspended license as a habitual offender in January 2025. The affidavit also lists numerous previous license suspensions and revocations.
Before Novak was arrested, deputies said he gave permission to search a satchel strapped to the handlebars of the ATV. Inside, the deputy reported finding a plastic bag containing a leafy green substance.
According to the affidavit, the substance weighed 5.5 grams and field-tested presumptively positive for both THC and fentanyl. Based on the weight and test results, deputies charged Novak with trafficking in four grams or more of fentanyl and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana.
Novak was also issued a citation for driving while his license was suspended or revoked as a habitual offender and was transported to the Marion County Jail without incident. The affidavit lists him as being held without bond on the charges.
