Man was riding bike the wrong way on street. What he had in backpack brought more trouble, cops say

A 38-year-old Sarasota man was arrested on a warrant related to a July investigation after drugs police say he was carrying at the time tested positive for bath salts.

Sarasota police officers saw Michael Peterson while on patrol in the area of 25th Street and Maple Avenue just before 1:30 a.m. July 17. According to the probable cause affidavit, Peterson was riding a bicycle north in the southbound lanes of Maple Avenue with no lights and when they tried to stop him, Peterson put down the bike, kicked off his shoes and ran.

About a block away, Peterson ran into a telephone pole and fell. Officers tried to grab him, but Peterson broke free and took off again.

Officers caught Peterson “a short time later” after he was eventually electronically subdued and threw a backpack into the road, according to the affidavit. Police searched the backpack and reported finding a digital scale, and a mixture of methamphetamine and cocaine. The 42.2 grams of drugs — which initially tested positive for cocaine, but also submitted to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office lab for testing — were found in five small plastic bags. Another 4.7 grams of cocaine was also found in the backpack, according to the affidavit.

Peterson was initially charged on July 17 with possession of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a church, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting a law enforcement officer without violence. He was booked into the Sarasota County jail but was released on bond.

Test results on the drugs were received by police on Aug. 8, and indicated the meth in the backpack tested positive for N-Ethlypentylone, or bath salts, according to police.

A warrant was issued for Peterson’s arrest and on Friday, he was taken into custody on charges of trafficking amphetamine or a mixture and was taken to jail. He has since bonded out, according to police.

This story was originally published August 21, 2018 at 9:45 AM.