A drug suspect blamed past incidents of “stereotyping” for his decision to attempt to flee from police officers at a Circle K gas station and convenience store in The Villages.
A pickup truck with a non-functioning headlight was spotted in the wee hours Thursday morning on U.S. Hwy. 27/441 and the driver abruptly pulled into the Circle K on the Historic Side of The Villages when a Lady Lake police officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop.
The driver, later identified as 25-year-old Marquis Devon Coffie of Weirsdale, got out of the vehicle and began to jog away, despite the loud verbal commands from police to stop and stay in the vehicle, according to the arrest report. When officers caught up to Coffie and handcuffed him, Coffie continued to pull away and resist their efforts to restrain him.
Coffie, who has three previous bookings at the Lake County Jail, complained to police that he has been “stereotyped multiple times by law enforcement” which prompted him to attempt to flee.
Officers discovered that Coffie was driving on a suspended license.
He was also in possession of .55 grams of fentanyl and 5.9 grams of marijuana. Coffie told police he would “give up multiple people with warrants” who “were associated with illegal drugs” if he could be released.
Coffie was arrested on charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, resisting arrest and driving while license suspended. He was booked at the Lake County Jail and released after posting $6,000 bond.
