Cops find convicted felon passed out behind the wheel with concealed gun and 75 bags of Fentanyl

Cops find convicted felon passed out behind the wheel with concealed gun and 74 bags of Fentanyl

Crime & Courts, Drugs, Guns, Police, Public Health and Safety, Stupid Criminals, Top News, Traffic
Ace News Today - Cops find convicted felon passed out behind the wheel with concealed gun and 75 bags of Fentanyl
16th Str. & Old Dixie Highway, Vero Beach, Image Credit: Google Maps

Today, the Vero Beach Police Department reported that on February 23, at 9:00 p.m., their officers responded to 16th Street and Old Dixie Highway in reference to an unresponsive motorist at the traffic light. First responders arrived on the scene and discovered the individual, later identified as Burnell Heiges Emlet III, slumped behind the wheel of a red Toyota sedan.

Upon making contact with Emlet, officers observed signs of intoxication and asked Emlet to exit the vehicle. Upon exiting the vehicle officers observed a bulge under Emlet’s shirt. When officers inquired about the bulge, Emlet stated that he had a concealed pistol beneath his shirt and that he did not have a concealed weapon permit.

Officers subsequently seized an FN semi-automatic pistol which was loaded with 21 live rounds; a computer check revealed that Emlet was a convicted felon.

Emlet submitted to field sobriety exercises and was subsequently placed under arrest for driving under the influence. A search of Emlet’s person yielded seventy-four (74) individually wrapped packages containing an off-white powder. Special Investigation Unit Detectives responded to the scene to assist.

A field test of the off-white powder determined the substance contained Fentanyl. The seventy-four packages of Fentanyl were later weighed as evidence and found to have a total weight of 7.7 grams.

Burnell Heiges, Emlet III, 32, of 5809 Killarney Avenue, Fort Pierce, Florida, was arrested and charged with the following offenses:

  • Trafficking in Fentanyl, more than 4 grams – which is a felony;
  • Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
  • Driving Under the Influence; and  
  • Carrying a Concealed Firearm.


Emlet was booked at the Vero Beach Police Department and is currently behind held in the custody of the Indian River County Jail with bonds totaling $51,000.00.

Emlet has since posted bond and is scheduled to make a court appearance on April 3, according to The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.

(Source: Vero Beach Police Department)

Posted by: Richard Webster, Ace News Today   /   Follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter

Please follow and like us: