Two men arrested for crack cocaine following traffic stop

Two Key West men were arrested early Thursday morning following a traffic stop near Mile Marker 7 in the Lower Keys.

Joseph Trosclair, 52, and Howard Eugene Fitch, 50, were charged with possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Fitch was additionally charged with failure to register a motor vehicle and not having the proper license plate.

Deputy Jonathan Lane was northbound on U.S. 1 near Mile Marker 7 at approximately 1:39 a.m. He conducted a traffic stop on a Toyota Tacoma for lacking the proper registration. The driver, later identified as Fitch, was eating a hamburger and had sauce all over his face, shirt, pants, steering wheel and floor. The passenger was later identified as Trosclair. The driver’s side window was rolled up as Fitch continued to eat and look straight ahead. Fitch eventually opened the door and said, “What?”

Deputy Lane advised Fitch of the improper tag on the vehicle, to which Fitch replied, “Nah.” Deputy Lane observed a glass crack pipe in plain view inside the truck. Deputy Lane ordered Fitch out of the vehicle given his strange behavior and the glass pipe. Fitch replied, “Nah,” and refused to exit. He refused multiple times before finally exiting as Deputy Lane began donning gloves and prepared to physically extract him.

Fitch was searched and a crack rock was found in his pocket. Deputies Kathleen Donavon and Christopher Schwartz as well as a Key West Police K9 unit responded. The K9 alerted to drugs in the vehicle. Trosclair was searched and a crack rock was found in his pockets. Trosclair initially stated he borrowed the pants from a friend and the crack was not his. Trosclair then admitted the pants and crack were his after Deputy Lane informed him it was best not to lie. Trosclair informed Deputies to where more crack cocaine was located in the truck.

A total of 2.5 grams of crack cocaine was found.

Both men were taken to jail.

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