OOLITIC – Two men were arrested after Oolitic Town Marshal and his canine partner Deny Joe found drugs in a vehicle during a traffic stop on Tuesday, November 11.
Detained were 53-year-old Gerald Williams and 51-year-old Michael Russell, both of Mitchell, on charges of possession of meth, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.
Oolitic Town Marshal James Harrington conducted the traffic stop at 9:18 p.m. on State Road 37, north of Salt Creek after he observed the driver of a red 2000 Ford F-250 fail to signal a lane change on State Road 37, south of Patton Hill Road.
The driver then traveled onto the shoulder of the road at least twice and the license plate light on the passenger side of the vehicle was out. The owner of the vehicle had also placed a large sticker on the rear glass window which was in violation of Indiana state law.
When the officer approached the vehicle he could smell the odor of marijuana emitting from the truck.
When asked if there was anything illegal in the vehicle the driver Gerald Williams said no. The passenger Michael Russell Jr. admitted to having marijuana and a meth pipe.
After Canine Deny Joe alerted officers to drugs in the vehicle, police found marijuana in a jacket belonging to Gerald Williams on the center console.
Police found two marijuana cigarette roaches in the truck ashtray. They also located a baggie of 0.297 grams of marijuana in a backpack on the passenger side floorboard and a glass smoking pipe that tested positive for meth. A marijuana vape pen and cartridges and a second glass smoking pipe that tested positive for meth were found in a boot in the bed of the truck.
Following the detainment of both men, officers found a baggie of marijuana in Gerald Williams’ pants pocket.
