A traffic stop by an Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office deputy who spotted a traffic violation Sunday led to a Crestview area man facing four felony and two misdemeanor charges.
36-year old Craig Golden was pulled over on South Avenue near Fort Walton Beach and told the deputy he didn’t have a valid drivers license. The deputy also noticed the smell of marijuana coming from inside the car. A probable cause search turned up a black pipe “zip” style shotgun behind the passsenger’s seat within Golden’s reach, a lockbox with approximately 15 grams of methamphetamine and jeweler’s bags, a shopping bag with suspected spice, and a digital scale in a candy bag.
A check showed Golden had 46 past felony charges and is a registred sex offender who had not provided information as required as to his new vehicle, a 2013 Jaguar he says was gifted to him.
Golden told the deputy he found the “zip” gun in his yard and did not know what it was.
Golden was taken to the OCSO Booking facility. Although Golden had been given a warning about contraband, the deputy found a gram bag of suspected marijuana on the back seat of the patrol car.
Golden’s charges include trafficking in methamphetamine, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, sex offender violation- failure to report a change in vehicle ownership, smuggling contraband into a detention facility, and driving with a suspended or revoked license.
Navarre Newspaper reminds our readers that Craig Golden is presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.
