Handgun under car seat leads to arrest in traffic stop

A traffic stop led to the arrest of a 20-year-old Milton man who allegedly had a concealed weapon and drugs in his car, when he was pulled over at the intersection of Stewart Street and Munson Highway, according to a Santa Rosa Sheriff's Office report.

Victor Tisdale, 20 of Milton, was traveling west on Highway 90, passing Ward Basin Road in East Milton with a deputy following behind him. The deputy stayed behind him for a while, pulling him over at the intersection of Stewart Street and Munson Highway for possibly driving under the influence, according to the report.

Tisdale was sweating profusely and appeared to be extremely nervous, reports say. When asked if there was anything in the car there shouldn't be, the 20-year-old replied there was nothing and denied requests for a search of his white Honda Civic.

According to the report, the deputy stated he had suspicions Tisdale was lying. The deputy called in a K-9 unit to conduct a perimeter search of the vehicle. While he was waiting, the deputy wrote Tisdale a traffic citation for failing to maintain a single lane.

The K-9 alerted to the driver's seat of the vehicle, the report says. A search of the white Civic revealed marijuana scattered all over the vehicle and a .22 caliber handgun. The revolver was wrapped in a plastic bag along with several bullets, stashed underneath the driver's seat. The serial number had been filed down and was unreadable, according to authorities.

Authorities also discovered a lighter with a marijuana logo on it in a door compartment and a pack of rolling papers laying in the backseat of the vehicle.

A background check revealed Tisdale was a convicted felon with three previous convictions and six misdemeanor convictions, according to the report.

Tisdale was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of a concealed firearm, possession of a firearm with an altered serial number, possession of marijuana – less than 20 grams and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Tisdale is currently in Santa Rosa County jail, with a bond of $18,500.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Handgun under car seat leads to arrest in traffic stop