WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. – Florida Highway Patrol arrested a Temple Terrace man involved in two hit-and-run crashes and in possession of enough fentanyl to kill over 30K people.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) responded to two related hit-and-run crashes involving a white Dodge Challenger with Georgia license plates in Wesley Chapel.
The initial crash occurred in the parking lot of a Burger King near the intersection of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard and State Road 54 (SR-54) in Wesley Chapel.
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The driver of a white GMC Sierra unintentionally hit a white Dodge Challenger as they were leaving the fast-food parking lot.
In response, the driver of the GMC pulled back into the Burger King parking.
However, the Challenger driver reportedly became angry and hostile, causing the GMC driver to leave in fear of further altercation.
The GMC began traveling westbound on SR-54, and while stopped under the Interstate 75 (I-75) bridge, the Challenger’s driver followed and displayed a firearm in a manner that caused the driver of the GMC to be in fear for his life.
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The Challenger driver continued to pursue the GMC as it traveled eastbound on SR-54 onto Oakley Boulevard. The GMC driver pulled into Grove Plaza and met with law enforcement there.
At some point during the pursuit of the GMC, the driver of the Challenger hit a silver Ford F250 and continued traveling after the GMC without stopping.
When questioned about the initial crash, the driver of the Dodge Challenger, identified as Afranur Rahman, 29, of Temple Terrace, said the GMC hit his vehicle and fled, causing him to follow the GMC to leave the crash scene.
Rahman also said that he did not have a firearm in the vehicle. Rahman’s passenger was asked about the incidents and if anything in the vehicle belonged to them, and if the Challenger, a rental vehicle, was under their name or Rahman’s.
The passenger said that the vehicle was under Rahman’s name, their only possessions within the vehicle were a phone and wallet, and they believed that the other vehicles had crashed into them, and they had not hit any other vehicle.
During a probable cause search of the Dodge Challenger, Troopers found a backpack located behind the driver’s seat.
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The backpack contained $4,103 in cash, a cell phone, two wrapped items that were later confirmed to be fentanyl (66.7 grams), a bottle of codeine (136.5 grams), and a 9mm firearm.
Afranur Rahman was placed under arrest and as the tow truck arrived a trash bag was pulled from the trunk of the Challenger containing water bottles and a package of a green leafy substance determined to be over five pounds of marijuana.
FHP transporter Afranur Rahman to Pasco County Jail where he was booked without incident on the following charges:
- Ownership, lease, rental, or possession of structure or vehicle for trafficking in or manufacturing a controlled substance.
- Trafficking in Fentanyl 4 grams or more
- Possession of Drug Equipment
- Aggravated Assault with deadly weapon without intent to kill
- Marijuana possession with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver
- Possession of a Controlled Substance without Prescription
- Improper Exhibit Firearm or Dangerous Weapon
- Possession of a Firearm or Ammunition by a Convicted Felon
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