MARION COUNTY, Fla. — A routine gas stop for a Marion County sheriff’s deputy led to the arrest of three suspects after a beer theft turned into a vehicle pursuit and drug bust.

On June 28, 2025, around 9:45 p.m., Corporal Michael Stringer was refueling his patrol car at a 7-Eleven on SE Baseline Road when a store clerk informed him that someone had stolen beer—an incident caught on the clerk’s dash camera.

Corporal Stringer saw the suspect’s vehicle leaving and attempted a traffic stop. The driver, Jaitai Williams, 31, fled the scene. The deputy successfully executed a PIT maneuver on SE 92nd Loop, bringing the chase to an end.

During the arrest, front-seat passenger Raymond Myrick, 48, threw items containing drugs from the vehicle. Tests confirmed the presence of THC, cocaine, and fentanyl. The back-seat passenger, Steven Hogan, 19, was identified as the individual who stole three cases of Modelo beer.

Williams was charged with fleeing and eluding law enforcement. Myrick was charged with possession of cocaine and marijuana. Hogan was charged with retail petit theft. All three were booked into the Marion County Jail.

Source: Marion County Sheriff’s Office