MITCHELL – A French Lick woman was arrested Monday, September 18th on drug charges after a Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department deputy stopped her vehicle for having a brake light out.
Police arrested 26-year-old Kelsey Slaten, on charges of possession of meth with enhancing circumstances, unlawful possession of a syringe, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
At 11:45 p.m. that night, the deputy noticed a silver 2003 Buick car traveling on State Road 60 West and when the driver, who was later identified at Slaten, applied the brakes one of the lights was not working. The deputy stopped the vehicle just west of Thompson Lane.
A Mitchell Police officer arrived to assist.
Slaten told police the vehicle didn’t belong to her but to her child’s father. He was letting her use the vehicle because her vehicle had broken down. She told the officers she was coming from Paoli and traveling to Odon.
She then searched for the vehicle’s registration but couldn’t find it.
She was asked if there was anything illegal in the vehicle and if officers could search the vehicle. She denied that request. Oolitic Town Marshal James Harrington arrived on the scene with canine Deny Joe who alerted officers to drugs in the vehicle.
Police found unused syringes, a small glass bottle containing crystal meth, a plastic container that contained a cotton ball that tested positive for meth, and a scale with meth residue. These items were located in a small black handbag within a black backpack. Police then found more unused syringes in a plastic bag and a glass smoking pipe with marijuana. In the trunk, police found a .22-long Marlin rifle, a magazine loaded with seven rounds of ammunition, and 26 more loose in a rifle bag.
Staten was transported to jail and the vehicle was towed by Blands Wrecker Service.
