Judge Frederick Mercurio of the 12th Circuit Court Dec. 15 found Matthew McClanahan, 20, of Palmetto, guilty of a handful of criminal charges, including two third-degree felonies for fleeing to elude law enforcement officers and possessing a vehicle with altered vehicle identification numbers.
McClanahan was arrested Sept. 23 in Holmes Beach, where he was found driving a motorcycle without a license plate. When an officer attempted to stop McClanahan, he began to flee, but eventually complied to orders to pull over.
The officer found that the motorcycle’s VINs had been tampered with and McClanahan — who was on probation at the time — did not have a driver’s license or motorcycle endorsement.
McClanahan was arrested and transported to the Manatee County jail, where he remained in custody under a $5,450 bond until his sentencing.
In addition to the two felonies, McClanahan was also charged with three second-degree misdemeanors for:
- Driving with a canceled, revoked or suspended license;
- Lacking a motorcycle endorsement;
- Lacking a valid registration.
At the Dec. 15 court hearing, McClanahan pled guilty to the charges.
Mercurio credited McClanahan’s time served in county jail and sentenced him to 24 months of probation and to enter an authorized Phoenix House program, complete substance abuse treatment and submit a biological specimen for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
He will be on probation until December 2027.
