Michael Brewer, who was set on fire in a horrific 2009 attack, was arrested on drug charges early Thursday in Palm Beach County.
Brewer, 18, was arrested at 1:44 a.m. and faces several drug charges, including cocaine possession, possession of marijuana less than 20 grams, and drug possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, according to a jail official.
In court on Thursday, Brewer was represented by Assistant Public Defender Steve Benedict, WPTV reported.
The judge ruled that Brewer could be released of his own recognizance under supervision, even if he elected to not pay the $6,000 bail. He would be subject to random drug testing.
Bendict was quoted by WPTV as saying Brewer will probably be released Thursday and stay with his parents in West Palm Beach.
"Those charges are not that serious," Benedict was quoted as saying. "They're possession of a couple kinds of drugs. They're the least serious felonies you can have. They're not that serious, so it's not unusual for him to be released on his own recognizance."
Brewer was attacked on Oct. 12, 2009 and three teens have been sentenced in the case.
Denver Jarvis was sentenced to 8 years in prison with a probation term of 10 years. Jesus Mendez, now 18, was sentenced to 11 years in prison, followed by 19 years of probation. Matthew Bent got 11 years in prison with credit for time served.
Police said they confronted Brewer, who was their classmate, after an argument over a $40 video game that Brewer had reportedly agreed to buy from one of them. One of the teens doused Brewer in rubbing alcohol, and Mendez allegedly lit a match and threw it on the teen, who jumped into a nearby pool to put out the flames, police said.
Brewer was burned on over 60 percent of his body and spent months in the hospital recovering from his injuries.
According to the arrest report, the white minivan Brewer was driving had been stopped by the Florida Highway Patrol because it made a U-turn, running a red light. And the trooper said he noticed a lot of action inside the vehicle as he approached it.
Brewer told the trooper he didn't have a valid driver's license, and as they were talking, the trooper smelled a strong raw marijana odor coming from the car, which had three other occupants, the report said.
"I asked Mr. Brewer Jr. if he was in possession of any illegal substances, he replied that he had just bought some "bongs" and glass pipes, and that was about it," the FHP arrest report said.
Brewer said he had a pocket knife on him when asked if he had any weapons, the report said. As the trooper was patting him down, a plastic bag containing a green leafy substance fell on the ground, along with a brown pill container, which had white rocks in it, the report said.
The arrest report said the substances field tested positive for marijuana and crack cocaine.
None of the other occupants were found to have anything illegal on them, but a search of the vehicle uncovered 14 glass pipes, two of them had drug residue, a 24-inch tall glass bong, three empty pill containers, a drug grinder, cigarette papers, three pills of oxicodone 30 mg, a two-inch red plastic straw, an empty prescription bottle of morphine and a blade, the report said.
"Mr. Brewer than confirmed that the crack-cocaine, the marijuana and all the paraphernalia belonged to him," the arrest report said.
Come back soon to NBC6.com soon for more information about this arrest. Check in with @ariodzernbc6 who is reporting this story.
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