A 43-year-old man who fell asleep in a running van at an intersection in Ocklawaha is facing several charges after a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy found methamphetamine in his vehicle.
On Saturday, January 20, the MCSO deputy responded to the intersection of Locust Run Place and Locust Run in reference to a man who was sleeping in a white work van at the stop sign, according to the arrest report.
Upon arrival, the deputy observed a man, later identified as Patrick Randall Midcap, who was asleep in the van with his head resting on the steering wheel. The deputy noted in the report that the vehicle was running with the keys in the ignition.
Midcap woke up when the deputy pulled one of the van’s door handles. He told the deputy that he was “just sleeping” because he had been “working all day,” according to the report.
The deputy instructed Midcap to exit the vehicle and requested to see his driver’s license. In the report, the deputy noted that Midcap advised that he “did not have one.”
A records check of Midcap revealed that his driver’s license has been suspended a total of six times, with the most recent indefinite suspension occurring in February of 2023.
Midcap was placed under arrest, and his van was searched. Inside the vehicle, the deputy located a small black handbag, which contained a clear Ziploc bag filled with a white crystal-like substance and several straws, according to the report.
The deputy noted that the substance field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
After being read his Miranda rights, Midcap told the deputy that the bag and its contents belonged to him. He stated that the substance inside the bag was “ice,” according to the report.
Midcap was transported to Marion County Jail, where he is currently being held on $4,000 bond. He is being charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving with a suspended or revoked license.
A court date has been scheduled at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, February 20, according to jail records.