Running a red light and erratic driving led to the arrest of a 23-year-old Sarasota man for possessing drugs at about 6 a.m. Feb. 14.
Holmes Beach Police Sgt. Mike Pilato observed the vehicle while on patrol between Manatee Avenue and the 7200 block of Gulf Drive.
After Pilato stopped the vehicle, the driver told the officer he didn’t have a driver’s license and gave a false name.
Pilato reported seeing numerous remnants of marijuana joints on the passenger side and described the driver, later determined to be Nicholas Rattelade, as disoriented, with signs of white powder at the corner of his mouth.
Rattelade told the officer he’d just completed a 10 hour-shift, according to the HBPD report.
After searching the vehicle, the officers found four tramadol pills, four alprazolam pills, marijuana cigarette butts, 3 grams of marijuana and paraphernalia, the report stated.
Rattelade was ticketed for running a red light, failing to maintain a single lane, no insurance and expired registration.
He was transported to the Manatee County jail, where at press time Feb. 26, he was in custody.
At his first court appearance, Rattelade was assigned $4,620 in bond on charges of possessing the controlled substances and paraphernalia, driving without a license and giving a false identification to police.
A public defender filed a not guilty plea on his behalf Feb. 19.
Rattelade’s arraignment is set for at 9 a.m. Friday, March 18, in the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.