Florida man dressed as Santa arrested on drug charges

Isaac Geiger, 41, tripped while trying to run from police

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man dressed as Santa Claus was arrested Monday for possessing a variety of drugs, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said.

The Sheriff's Office was conducting an investigation on Golfair Boulevard following numerous recent drug complaints when Isaac Geiger, 41, was spotted standing at the driver's door of a U-Haul rental truck in the parking lot of a business, according to police. 

"I first saw a police car and then I see all these other undercover, I guess they were undercover, and I was, like, 'What are the police doing over there by the gas station?'" an anonymous witness told News4Jax. 

Police said Geiger stood out because he was wearing a red and white Santa Claus outfit, complete with hat and white beard.

"They sell drugs in every area. Some areas are worse than others, but it's not unexpected. Just the Santa Claus uniform is a little crazy," said the man who witnessed the incident.

Geiger was seen several times going into the driver's side of a U-Haul truck, retrieving items and walking away, police said. No one else was seen going to or from the U-Haul truck during that period.

After seeing police, Geiger ran from the parking lot where a large amount of marijuana was in plain view on the driver's seat of the U-Haul, JSO said.

Police said they chased Geiger, who tripped over his Santa pants and fell to the ground.

Detectives tried to take him into custody, but he rolled onto his stomach and put his hands under his body, according to JSO.

Geiger refused to comply and resisted police for some time, JSO said. Police said they found a plastic baggie under the Santa suit and cash in Geiger's pocket.

Police said after they stood Geiger up, he tried to run again and detectives had to tackle him to the ground.

Police said he continued to resist and reach for his waistline. Police said he was held on the ground until more officers could arrive.

A search of the U-Haul revealed marijuana, a scale with marijuana residue and a black pouch containing MDMA -- commonly known as Ecstasy -- on the front driver's seat, police said.

There was also a 5-gallon orange bucket with a white lid on the driver's side floorboard. Inside the bucket was additional marijuana, a yellow substance known to contain THC, Molly, Ecstasy pills and money, police said.

They were all items that Santa shouldn't have in his sleigh, residents in the area said. 

"Hopefully, they can do better with cleaning up the street, but that one there sounds like something fictional," the witness said, laughing. 

The Sheriff's Office said Geiger is now trading in the Santa suit for a jail uniform. He was arrested and booked into the Duval County Jail.

Geiger is scheduled to make his first appearance in court Tuesday morning. According to court records, Geiger had been booked into the Duval County jail two previous times. In 2012, he pleaded no contest to two drug charges and served five days in jail, records show.