LAWRENCE CO. – A Bedford man was arrested on a warrant after an incident on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, when law enforcement officers found him unresponsive on a bridge and discovered illegal prescription drugs in his possession.
According to the Lawrence County Police Department (LCPD), officers responded to a report of an unresponsive male on the Milwaukee Trail Bridge north of Coxton Road. Upon arriving at the scene, officers identified the individual as 46-year-old Jonathon L. Kirk, who was found slumped over the rail of the bridge. His speech was slurred, his eyes were droopy, and he was reportedly “on the nod,” a term often associated with drug use.
After waking Kirk and speaking with him, officers learned that he had taken Gabapentin and Diazepam, two prescription medications. When officers asked him if he had any weapons, Kirk reached toward his pockets. For safety reasons, officers searched and found several pills in his possession, including 18 Gabapentin.
Kirk was escorted to medical personnel for treatment and transported by EMS to a local hospital. During the investigation, it was revealed that although Kirk had a prescription for some medications, he did not have a prescription for the Gabapentin pills found in his possession. A check with Indiana’s Pharmacy INSPECT system confirmed that Kirk was not authorized to possess Gabapentin.
As a result of the discovery, LCPD Officer Andrew D. Tillett filed an affidavit for probable cause, charging Kirk with unlawful possession of a legend drug, a Level 6 felony under Indiana law.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law
