NEWS RELEASE 20-014 - JANUARY 31, 2020
    
  Jacob Harris                                                                                                                                  Christopher Munoz

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Sarasota man and teenager after they fled from deputies and tossed drugs out of a car window.

 

Tactical Unit deputies first initiated a traffic stop on a gold sedan with a broken taillight just after 2:00 a.m. Thursday morning. The driver, Jacob Harris, DOB 08/03/00, failed to stop and fled eastbound on Fruitville Road near Coburn Road. During the pursuit, deputies witnessed one passenger throw a plastic bag out the window. When Harris pulled into the driveway of his residence, two of the passengers ran from the vehicle on foot. Deputies quickly located one of the fleeing suspects, Christopher Munoz, DOB 03/14/03, in a nearby ditch and took him into custody. Harris, who remained with the vehicle, was arrested without incident.

 

The agency’s K-9 Unit responded to assist in searching for the second fleeing suspect but was unsuccessful. During their search of the area, deputies recovered a loaded handgun on the ground where Munoz was seen fleeing. Next to the vehicle was a backpack containing 17 grams of marijuana, 4.6 grams of cocaine, 2.9 grams of suspected heroin and other drug paraphernalia. Further investigation revealed the small plastic bag thrown from the car contained more than 26 grams of Alprazolam pills.

Harris, of 7910 Fruitville Road, is charged with Fleeing to Elude, Tampering with Physical Evidence, Possession of Marijuana and Cocaine with Intent to Sell, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and two counts of Violation of Probation. He remains in custody at the Sarasota County Correctional Facility without bond.

 

Munoz, of 3131 Bee Ridge Road, Unit 11, is charged with Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon, Possession of Marijuana and Cocaine with Intent to Sell, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Resisting Arrest and two counts of Tampering with Physical Evidence. He was transferred on Thursday to the Manatee Regional Juvenile Detention Center.