On 10-28-2016 at 3:45 p.m., the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop in the 1700 block of Old Highway 18 in Ruthven. The driver accelerated and failed to stop and pulled into a driveway. The driver, Jerry Lee Lockhart Jr. age 28 of Ruthven, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia. As the investigation continued, Lockhart was also charged with possession of a controlled substance; marijuana, fail to have a valid license, failure to wear a seatbelt and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. Lockhart was transported to the Palo Alto County Jail without incident.
A criminal charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.