Florida Man Charged for 'Eating' Police Patrol Car Seat, Cocaine Trafficking

A 37-year-old Florida man was arrested this week after Key West police officers found more than 40 grams of cocaine in his procession during a traffic stop.

Melvin Stubbs, of Homestead, was detained on Thursday and charged with cocaine trafficking and resisting arrest. However, the situation took a strange turn after the suspect was found to have chomped on their car seat, according to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.

Read more: Florida woman lunges at airport counter, calls staff "rapists"

Due to that, Stubbs was also charged with property damage, officials said.

The department said Sgt. Mark Jones and Deputy George Zakariadze spotted Stubbs close to Mile Marker 59 at about 10 p.m. traveling south in a white BMW. The suspect was pulled over because he had a "very dark, illegal window tinting" on the vehicle, the sheriff's office said.

Using a tint meter, Sgt. Jones determined the windows of the car were too dark. It emerged when Zakariadze was writing up a warning that Stubbs had a warrant for violating probation stemming from cocaine sales. The suspect tried to flee but was "taken to the ground," police said. The situation further escalated as one officer had to use a stun gun to subdue Stubbs.

During a search of the suspect's jacket—which came off as he was resisting—officers said they found "four baggies containing a white powdery substance." It tested positive for cocaine.

The total weight of the cocaine was 41.1 grams, local law enforcement said.

"Deputy William Daniels also arrived on scene," officials added. "Stubbs began kicking the passenger side of the patrol car door with his feet. Sgt. Jones noticed a large piece of the back seat of the car that Stubbs had chewed off and/or eaten, causing at least $1,000 in damage."

Stubbs was placed in feet restraints and taken to a hospital in Marathon. "[He] had to be put in a wheelchair and further restrained due to his continued combative behavior," police said.

After being medically cleared by experts from the hospital, the suspect was transported to jail. The Miami Herald reported that Stubbs remained in custody on Friday, without bond.

Earlier this week in Florida, police had to issue a K-9 called Jake with anti-overdose medication after the pup ingested a type of drug while it was screening passengers of a popular party cruise, called Holy Ship! The cop dog, which was administered Narcan, was luckily expected to make a full recovery and return to duty.

Melvin Stubbs
Police said Melvin Stubbs was charged with cocaine trafficking and resisting arrest. He was also charged with property damage for chewing up and/or eating a Sheriff’s Office patrol car seat after he was taken into... Monroe County Sheriff's Office

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Jason Murdock is a staff reporter for Newsweek. 

Based in London, Murdock previously covered cybersecurity for the International Business Times UK ... Read more

To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go