A quick check of a license plate turned a routine patrol into a double arrest Friday afternoon after a deputy noticed something off about a red Ford F-150.
Around 1:45 p.m., a Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputy spotted the truck and trailer parked at the 7-11 on US 92 in Lakeland. The tag on the Ford came back as stolen, prompting a traffic stop just as the vehicle tried to leave the lot.
Behind the wheel was 43-year-old Christopher Marz, with 38-year-old Mandy Sue Roberts as a passenger. When asked for his license, Marz reportedly handed over a Florida ID instead, admitting he did not have a valid driver’s license.
The situation grew more puzzling when the deputy inspected the rig further. A Michigan license plate on the trailer was actually registered to the truck itself, while the tag on the truck had been reported stolen during a separate trailer theft in Osceola County.
Authorities confirmed the trailer Marz was hauling was not stolen.
The investigation quickly shifted from traffic violations to narcotics. Deputies found Marz in possession of methamphetamine and a glass pipe. Roberts, who began a three-year probation term for burglary on October 20, was found with marijuana.
Both suspects were booked into the Sheriff’s Processing Center.
Marz faces charges of possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, petit theft, and driving with a suspended or revoked license (DWLSR). Roberts was charged with possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, and violation of probation.
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