Gainesville man arrested on drug and gun charges after allegedly trying to run from a traffic stop in Alachua
Staff report
ALACHUA, Fla. – Travis James Wheeler, 22, of Gainesville, was arrested early this morning on drug and firearm charges after allegedly attempting to run from a traffic stop in Alachua.
At about 12:36 a.m. on April 1, an Alachua Police Department officer reportedly conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that was traveling northbound on U.S. Hwy 441 at 71 mph in a posted 45 mph zone. The officer reported that the driver, identified as Wheeler, admitted that he had been speeding and apologized.
The officer reported smelling marijuana coming from the vehicle and noted that marijuana “shake” could be seen in plain view on the center console; Wheeler reportedly provided a medical marijuana card, but the officer reported that Wheeler’s passenger did not have a medical marijuana card and that Wheeler did not have any current orders for marijuana, so he should not have had any medical marijuana at the time of the traffic stop.
When a second officer arrived, Wheeler allegedly ran from the front of the patrol vehicle, got in his vehicle, started his vehicle, and placed his hand on the shifter, indicating that he intended to flee from the traffic stop. The second officer reportedly told Wheeler to return to the front of the patrol vehicle, but Wheeler allegedly ignored the commands and moved more quickly to get into his vehicle.
Wheeler was reportedly forcibly removed from his vehicle and placed under arrest for resisting an officer without violence.
A probable cause search of his vehicle reportedly produced about 30 grams of marijuana in the back seat and a Glock 26 handgun with an extended magazine in the center console.
Wheeler has been charged with possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana, and resisting an officer without violence. He has no criminal convictions, but he was arrested in September 2024 for possession of 25 grams of marijuana following a traffic stop; that case can no longer be found in the court system. Judge Adam Lee set bail at $100,000.
Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Kind of high (ok a lot high) bail for the reported activity and situation.
Not at all. His attempt to flee from the traffic stop evidences a total disregard for responsibility and the legal process. Anyone willing to flee a traffic stop is a heightened risk to skip a court date.
They should revoke his drivers license for at least 5 years.
I’m confused about the reporting surrounding his medical marijuana card: The wording “no current orders,” does it suggest?:
He probably still had a card, but his doctor’s certification had expired? So legally he wasn’t authorized to have marijuana at that moment?
Marijuana today is so much stronger than it used to be — so concentrated with THC. Great if you’ve got cancer and genuinely need it, but if you’ve weaseled your way to a doctor who effectively gives you a license to smoke it recreationally, the risks are crazy. First-time/one-time-use schizophrenia — I personally witnessed a kid being committed to a mental hospital in Miami and was talking with his friend. His friend confessed that the friend (the one being committed) had tried marijuana one time and has had schizophrenia ever since. This drug is not benign, it is not the same as alcohol. Don’t care what anyone says.