ROUTINE TRAFFIC STOP LEADS TO ARREST

A SARASOTA MAN WAS ARRESTED AFTER A ROUTINE TRAFFIC STOP THERE.  A DEPUTY PULLED OVER 31 YEAR OLD JERMAINE WARD AT AROUND 8:30 WEDNESDAY EVENING ON 34^TH STREET AND NOTICED HE WAS ACTING NERVOUSLY.  WHEN ADDITIONAL DEPUTIES ARRIVED TO PROVIDE BACKUP AND ASSIST WITH A WEAPONS SEARCH, WARD KEPT MOVING HIS HANDS NEAR HIS WASTE BAND AND THEN ELBOWED A DEPUTY AND TRIED TO TAKE OFF RUNNING.  WARD WAS TAKEN TO THE GROUND BUT KEPT RESISTING, SO DEPUTIES USED A TASER TO GAIN COMPLIANCE UNTIL HE COULD BE HANDCUFFED AND SEARCHED.  DEPUTIES RECOVERED A CLEAR PLASTIC BAG CONTAINING MORE THAN 31 GRAMS OF COCAINE AND SEIZED MORE THAN $1800 CASH.  THEY ALSO IMPOUNDED HIS VEHICLE.  WARD WAS CHARGED WITH TRAFFICKING IN COCAINE AND TWO COUNTS OF RESISTING ARREST.  HE IS BEING HELD WITHOUT BOND IN THE SARASOTA COUNTY JAIL.