Duo Busted on Multiple Narcotics Charges Following Reckless Driving Stop

November 13, 2024 – Punta Gorda, FL

A man and woman were arrested after trafficking amounts of narcotics were discovered during a traffic stop for reckless driving.

Just before 5:30pm on Sunday, November 10, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office received a call regarding a reckless driver in the area of Tuckers Grade Blvd. and Tamiami Trail in Punta Gorda. A deputy located the light green pickup truck with Georgia tags and observed the vehicle failing to maintain its lane. At that time, the deputy initiated a traffic stop on the truck.

The driver, identified as Christopher James Smith (10/15/1987), was slurring his words and could not hold a coherent conversation with the deputy. Due to his demeanor, the deputy asked Smith to step out of the vehicle and requested EMS to come and medically clear him. Smith’s passenger, Ashley Elaine Winters (03/03/1985), remained inside the vehicle.

A K9 unit also responded to the scene and conducted a free air sniff of the truck, providing an alert to the presence of narcotics inside. Following that alert, a search of the vehicle was conducted. During the search, deputies located a variety of suspected narcotics and paraphernalia, to include:

• 3.5g of crack cocaine
• 1.8g of fentanyl
• .3g of MDMA
• 26.7g of methamphetamine
• 192.7g of marijuana
• .1g of oxycodone
• 102 whole and 8 half tablets of clenbuterol
• 55g of THC gummies
• 3 orange suboxone tablets
• 2 needles loaded with liquid
• Digital scale and empty baggies

The suspected narcotics were tested with the appropriate testing kits, each providing a positive result. Additionally, deputies located multiple cards (medical marijuana, identifications, social security, and VA cards) that did not belong to Smith, but were found to be in his possession. Winters, the passenger, identified items that belonged to her, which also contained narcotics. Winters was found to be on felony probation out of Lee County for 2 counts of possession of a controlled substance. Both Smith and Winters were placed under arrest and transported to the Charlotte County Jail.

“I want to thank the person who made the reckless driving call that ultimately led to all of these drugs being taken off our streets. There’s no telling how many people may (or already have) been hurt by these two on their escapades. Excellent work as well by my deputies and K9 Cairo in locating the narcotics so we can prevent any further damage.”

Sheriff Bill Prummell

Smith is being held at the Charlotte County Jail with a total bond amount of $35,500.00. Due to Winters being in violation of her probation out of Lee County, she is being held without bond.