By Staff

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In the early hours of today, Quante Kadhari Young, a 29-year-old resident of Williston, found himself in custody following a traffic stop in Gainesville’s Midtown. The arrest stemmed from a violation of window tint regulations, during which authorities allegedly discovered a firearm and a small quantity of marijuana in his possession, both contravening his probation conditions.

Shortly before 3 a.m. on November 1, a Gainesville Police Department officer flagged down a white BMW for its non-compliant window tint near the 900 block of West University Avenue. According to the officer, Young was behind the wheel and initially exhibited resistance, slowly driving westward before eventually complying with the stop.

Upon approaching the vehicle, the officer detected the odor of marijuana. At that moment, a passenger within the car was observed reaching towards a space between his seat and the door, prompting the officer to draw his firearm in caution—though he refrained from aiming it directly at the passenger—while instructing the individual to cease the motion.

The passenger reportedly denied reaching for a weapon but admitted there was a gun inside the car. The officer then spotted a pistol in clear view on the front passenger floorboard. Consequently, both Young and the passenger were instructed to exit the vehicle.

Both men reportedly said they do not have a medical marijuana card, and a search of the vehicle reportedly produced crumbs on the floorboard that tested positive for marijuana.

The passenger said the firearm belonged to him.

Post Miranda, Young reportedly said he didn’t know there was a gun in the car but said the car belonged to him.

The officer concluded that the gun was within Young’s reach and that Young “should have reasonably known about the firearm in his vehicle. As such, [Young] exercised constructive possession over the firearm.”

Young was arrested for violating probation. He has juvenile convictions between 2010 and 2013, two adult felony convictions (non-violent), and five adult misdemeanor convictions (non-violent). He was sentenced to three years of probation in 2024 for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia; he was charged with driving without a valid license in November 2024, but Judge William Davis reinstated his probation with the original terms, and the charge was dropped.

Judge Meshon Rawls ordered him held without bail until the probation violation is resolved.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.