Houston County driver arrested after synthetic urine, cocaine found in vehicle

HOUSTON COUNTY (KETK) — A Houston County driver was arrested on Sunday after law enforcement allegedly found synthetic urine and cocaine in his vehicle.

The Houston County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to Highway 19 South near Lovelady after receiving reports of a reckless driver and a suspicious person. When they arrived, a deputy detained the driver, who was showing signs of being in medical distress.

Before towing, the vehicle was checked, where they found a Tylenol bottle containing suspected cocaine residue and a bottle that appears to have a bottle of synthetic urine, the sheriff’s office said.

Witnesses said the driver crossed into oncoming traffic, forcing another driver to leave the roadway to avoid a head-on collision. The suspect then allegedly exited his vehicle and attempted to open the doors of other vehicles and would run into oncoming traffic while saying people were trying to kill him.

Once arrested, the suspect was identified as Sergio Ortiz, who was first taken to a medical center before being taken into the Houston County Jail.

Ortiz has been charged with: Possession of a controlled substance, reckless driving and possession of a substance designed to falsify drug test results

“We encourage anyone who observes reckless or suspicious activity to immediately contact the Houston County Sheriff’s Office so deputies can respond and help keep our community safe,” the Houston County Sheriff’s Office said.