AP Man Charged With Drug Trafficking

AVON PARK - An Avon Park man remained in Highlands County Jail without bond Friday after he was arrested on drug and traffic charges and reportedly trying to elude sheriff's deputies.

Willie Lee Jones, 27, of 105 E. Wolf St., Avon Park, was booked Wednesday on charges of cocaine distribution, possession of narcotics equipment, obstruction of or resisting a law enforcement officer without violence, trafficking in opium or a derivative four grams to 30 grams and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.

He was also charged with driving while driver's license suspended or revoked, criminal mischief, failure to appear on charges of knowingly driving while driver's license suspended or revoked and violation of restrictions placed on driver's license and on a charge of violation of probation for armed robbery.

According to a Highlands County Sheriff's Office arrest report, at about 7:13 p.m. Wednesday, deputies were in the area of North Glenwood Avenue, when Jones sold an undercover operative crack for $50.

He was driving a 1992 Chevrolet pickup truck, the report stated.

Deputies in three separate cruisers tried to conduct a traffic stop on Jones, the report stated. When Jones saw the deputies lights he reportedly accelerated heading right for one of the cars. A deputy was able to push the front driver's side quarter panel causing Jones' pickup to stop just short of hitting a house.

Jones jumped out and ran from deputies for about a block, until he was captured and placed into handcuffs.

In the truck deputies found 16 oxycodone pills in a container and other drug paraphernalia.