On December 1st, 2018 at approximately 2330, Clermont Police Officers responded to 2475 South US Highway 27, Red Lobster, regarding a subject in possible possession of a controlled substance.
Upon arrival, Field Training Officer Dubi and I made contact with the subject, Kevin Lamontagne Strand, sitting outside of the Red Lobster restaurant. Kevin had already been interviewed by other Officers prior to my arrival.
I spoke to officers on scene to understand the situation.
Due to multiple officers being on scene, along with narcotics being located on his person, I read Kevin Miranda via a department-issued card.
Kevin advised that he understood his rights and agreed to answer my questions. I asked Kevin to explain what happened, as I had just arrived on scene. While talking to Kevin, I observed him display intoxicated behavior, including slurred speech, and also smelled the odor of alcohol on his breath.
Kevin stated that he had been drinking alcohol at the bar, including multiple beers and also several shots of liquor.
Kevin stated that while he was sitting at the bar at Buffalo Wild Wings, located at 2465 South US Highway 27, he was approached by three subjects, two males, and one female. He stated that the subjects sat down with him and while engaging in conversation, the male subject seated to his left leaned over and slipped a small plastic baggy with an unknown white powder substance into the left front pocket of his jeans. Kevin stated that the male subject then told him that he needed to keep the baggy. When Kevin protested, the male subjects made threats to kill him with a firearm.
Kevin reported the incident to restaurant management and asked them to call law enforcement, and then went to the bathroom prior to returning to the bar, where he again sat down with the subjects. After this, Kevin stated that he then ran out of the restaurant and walked to Red Lobster, where he called law enforcement to report the incident.
When Officers had arrived on scene, Officers retrieved the baggy with the white powder substance from Kevin’s left front pocket at Kevin’s request. The substance was field tested and tested positive for cocaine. Kevin denied willingly receiving drugs from the subjects at Buffalo Wild Wings and also denied knowing the subjects prior to the incident.
The first Officers on scene advised that Kevin made inconsistent statements prior to my arrival, including that Kevin originally did not mention a female subject or that threats were made with a firearm in his first verbal statement.
I also noted that the longer I spoke to Kevin about the incident, the more details he added to his story, such as adding that the bartender was also involved with the male subjects and that she ignored his “alarmed behavior” and left the area without helping him.
Officers reviewed the security footage at Buffalo Wild Wings and observed multiple inconsistencies with Kevin’s statements.
Officers advised that he observed both male subjects sit on Kevin’s right side at the bar, whereas the cocaine baggy was found in his left pocket.
Officers also advised that Kevin left his seat at the bar three different times and that when Kevin finally exited the restaurant, he walked out as opposed to his account of running out of the restaurant.
Officers also spoke with Buffalo Wild Wings management and the bartender, who advised that they did not observe such behavior from the subjects and that Kevin was clearly intoxicated while present at the bar. Management advised that they were never asked to call law enforcement. Management has also requested to have Kevin trespassed from the restaurant due to his irrational behavior.
Kevin was arrested without incident for Possession of a Controlled Substance (Cocaine) and transported to the Lake County Jail.
Source: The above account is told from the perspective of the arresting officer who wrote the arrest affidavit. Details have been eliminated for shortening purposes. The intent has not been altered.
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