Habitual traffic offenders found with marijuana

BEDFORD – Bedford Police Officer Steven Hatton Jr. was on patrol on Monday, May 27 at 8:35 p.m. on State Road 37 at Patrick Robbins Boulevard when he noticed a white Chevrolet Equinox traveling west on Patrick Robbins Boulevard.

Mathew Coburn

Officer Hatton knew the driver, 36-year-old Mathew Coburn, was a habitual traffic offender due to a prior incident that occurred earlier in the day.

Officer Hatton attempted to catch up to Coburn and spotted him turning west onto Pumphouse Road. The vehicle then crossed State Road 37 and was traveling east on Brock Lane. A traffic stop was initiated at 29th Street and Brock Lane.

The driver was Coburn. He told police he had conditional driving privileges for work and treatment granted through Marion County. Coburn handed Officer Hatton a paper where he had attempted to file for a conditional license. Officer Hatton ran Coburn’s information through NCIC, IDAC, and the BMV and found that he didn’t have a conditional license and was a habitual offender.

Coburn was detained. His vehicle was inventoried, and police found marijuana cigarettes, a THC vape, and a grinder containing marijuana.

Coburn was arrested on charges of being a habitual traffic offender, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Bland’s Wrecker Service towed the vehicle.