Man charged for syringe, drug possession

A Kentucky man was arrested on June 17 after police reported finding drugs and paraphernalia on him during a traffic stop on State Road 46 West near the Red Bud Inn.

Derek Wood, 29, of Bedford, Kentucky, was riding in the passenger’s seat of a dark colored Chevrolet pick-up truck when officers pulled over the truck for reckless driving and speeding, according to a probable cause affidavit by Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Nicholson Briles.

Briles had been following the car after it was called in by a concerned driver and had witnessed the driver hit a curb while pulling through the McDonald’s drive-thru.

During the traffic stop, officers ran both Wood and the driver’s licenses through their database. Wood initially struggled to find his wallet, which was sitting directly in front of him on the dashboard, according to the affidavit.

Wood also had a warrant for his arrest pending in Ripley County. After confirming the warrant, Wood was handcuffed and put in the back of an officer’s vehicle, the affidavit states.

The driver then failed field sobriety tests and officers believed he was driving under the influence of a controlled substance, so he was transported to the hospital for a consented blood draw, according to the affidavit.

While moving Wood from one police vehicle to another, officers reported hearing something hit the ground when he stood up.

Upon inspection, they found Wood had had a small white box fall out of his pants that contained some pills, which Wood told officers were Xanax and fake Xanax.

Wood denied having any other illegal items in his possession, however, after a search of the vehicle prior to being towed officers found a small black case in Wood’s lunchbox. In the case was two syringes, a small blue cap with white residue, a brown tube used for drugs and a belt that’s used as a tourniquet for injecting drugs, the affidavit states.

After some questioning, Wood told officers exactly what was in the bag and that it belonged to him.

Wood was then taken to Brown County Jail and was later transported to Ripley County. The driver was taken to the hospital and given a blood test. The results of that test are still pending and no charges have been filed against the driver at press time.

Wood was charged June 25 with unlawful possession of syringe, Level 6 felony; possession of a controlled substance, Class A misdemeanor; and possession of paraphernalia, Class C misdemeanor.

Police: Man had heroin, syringes in his possession

A Morgantown man faces felony charges for possessing a burnt spoon, suspected heroin and syringes after police found them in his possession during a traffic stop on May 22.

Darrell Hayworth, 35, was riding in the passenger seat of a white Chevrolet Monte Carlo when Indiana State Police Trooper Matthew Hatchett pulled the car over for expired plates, a probable cause affidavit states.

While questioning the driver of the car on Brown Hill Road near Gnaw Mart, Hatchett reported seeing a syringe sticking out of Hayworth’s right front pants pocket.

The officer asked the driver and Hayworth if there was anything illegal in the car. The driver said no.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Hayworth would not make eye contact with the officer. When asked if he was diabetic, Hayworth told the officer he was, asking how they knew. The officer then asked him what type diabetic he was.

“A, no I mean 1,” Hayworth said, according to the affidavit.

Hayworth exited the car and told the officer he used the syringe for Naloxone, which is typically used to reverse overdoses, according to the affidavit.

Hayworth took out the syringe and Hatchett reported that he did not believe it was one typically used for Naloxone. Hayworth initially denied having a spoon, but then gave it to Hatchett after the trooper told him he had seen it earlier.

The spoon reportedly was burnt and had powder on it, so Hatchett asked Hayworth to empty the rest of his pockets, revealing a black piece of foil holding heroin and four hypodermic syringes, but no narcan.

According to the report, officers said Hayworth explained that the paraphernalia belonged to his recently deceased friend and that he had found it in a duffel bag. Rather than throwing them in a dumpster, Hayworth told officers he was on the way to a nearby friend’s house to burn what he had found, the affidavit states.

Hatchett received consent from the driver to search both her and her car, which turned up nothing. The driver was given a warning for her expired plates, which she said she was unable to renew due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hayworth was charged June 25 with possession of narcotic drug, Level 6 felony; unlawful possession of syringe, Level 6 felony; and possession of paraphernalia, Class C misdemeanor.

Franklin man charged with drug possession

A 22-year-old Franklin man faces a misdemeanor for possessing marijuana in Brown County after officers with the Nashville Police Department reported smelling marijuana in his during a traffic stop on June 16.

Terre Moss, 22, was pulled over at the intersection of West Main and Jefferson streets by officers after they reported seeing his car following another vehicle too closely. Moss admitted to officers during the stop that he was tailgating and that it was because he was in a hurry, a probable cause affidavit by Patrolman Davis Huynh states.

While speaking with Moss and getting his license, officers reported smelling a strong scent of marijuana.

Moss reportedly admitted to officers that he had around a gram of marijuana inside his backpack, which was in the car. With his permission, officers searched Moss’ car and backpack and found the marijuana he was talking about.

The bag of marijuana was taken into evidence by the officers and Moss was given his license back along with a citation. Officers advised Moss to look out in the mail for a court summons and citation, then released him from the scene.

He is currently facing one charge of marijuana possession, a Class B misdemeanor.

Woman charged with possessing marijuana

Officers with the Nashville Police Department reported finding a 45-year-old Bloomington woman possessing marijuana on June 14 after seeing her stumble while walking in the dark on State Road 46 West.

Laura Beikman was walking westbound along the highway in the dark without any reflective equipment on when Patrolman Billy Bryant reported seeing her stumble into the road.  Bryant pulled over to ask Beikman if she was OK or needed help and reported smelling a strong odor of alcohol on her, the probable cause affidavit states.

Beikman told the officer that her mom had left her at a local bar that night and that she was walking back to her Bloomington home. According to Bryant, Beikman said that she could not get a ride or call anyone because her cell phone had no minutes left.

Beikman told police she had a few drinks at the bar. Bryant was able to arrange for Beikman to be picked up at the west entrance of Brown County State Park.

When Bryant told Beikman he would be giving her a ride to the park, he asked her if she had anything illegal on her. Beikman then pulled out a small baggie of marijuana from her bag, the affidavit states.

With Beikman’s consent, officers searched her bag and reported finding a blue and white glass smoking pipe with marijuana residue in it. A portable breath test had Beikman’s blood-alcohol content at 0.10.

After the breath test, Beikman was taken to Brown County State Park where she was met by her ride.

Beikman faces two misdemeanors for possessing marijuana and paraphernalia.

Police: Man had paraphernalia

A Bloomington man faces a misdemeanor in Brown County after he was found to be possessing paraphernalia during a traffic stop on June 5.

Christopher Bowen, 54, was pulled over by officers with the Nashville Police Department on Chestnut Street for driving with a suspended license. After confirming the driver was Bowen, officers had him exit the vehicle and he told them that he knew his license was suspended, a probable cause affidavit by Patrolman Davis Huynh states.

Bowen gave officers permission to search the vehicle and told them that there was nothing illegal in the car.

During the search, officers found a glass smoking pipe in the driver’s side door. They then asked to search Bowen, which he agreed to, but that searched turned up no other illegal items.

Bowen admitted to owning the pipe and driving while suspended, which he was cited for, and was then allowed to leave the scene with a ride. He has been charged with paraphernalia possession, a Class C misdemeanor, and driving while suspended, a Class A infraction.