A 35-year-old Salesville man, Justin Dewayne Lee, has been arrested on two felony drug offenses after he was stopped for an equipment violation on the vehicle he was driving.
Norfork Police Officer Dempsey Thompson advises he was on traffic patrol earlier this month when he observed a vehicle pull from a parking lot and noticed it had a loud exhaust, indicating the muffler was defective.
He initiated a traffic stop and asked the driver, later identified as Lee, for his driver’s license and proof of insurance. Lee advised the Norfork police officer he had never had a driver’s license because he was legally blind. Lee also said he had borrowed the vehicle he was driving from a friend.
After asking Lee if there was anything illegal on him or in the vehicle three times, he finally responded yes and directed Officer Thompson to a black bag under the driver’s seat containing methamphetamine and needles. He also told the officer that his passenger did not know the illegal items were in the vehicle.
Lee was placed under arrest and the bag containing two plastic baggies with a crystal-like substance weighing 2.1 grams, field testing positive for methamphetamine, two needles, a clear bottle and a cigarette lighter were removed from under the driver’s seat.
The female passenger advised Lee had given her and her child a ride to the bank, was taking her back home and she would seek other transportation.
After having the vehicle towed, Officer Thompson’s research revealed Lee was wanted on a warrant out of Marion County and that his driver’s license was suspended. He was charged with seven offenses, including two felony counts of possession of a controlled substance methamphetamine cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia methamphetamine cocaine.
He has since been released from the Baxter County Detention Center on a $25,000 bond.
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