Deputies investigate residences
Published 6:08 pm Friday, June 19, 2009
Sheriff’s Office investigators executed two search warrants within the span of two days this week.
On Thursday, a search at a rural northern Decatur County home netted suspected marijuana, ecstasy and drug paraphernalia.
Late Friday afternoon, Sheriff’s investigators were executing a search warrant at a West Bainbridge apartment complex; however, no further details were available at press time.
Thursday’s search took place at 104 Mount Zion Church Road, in the Lynn community off U.S. 27 North. Shortly after 8 p.m. Thursday night, Sgt. Jason Williams stopped a vehicle driven by 17-year-old Matthew Ingle of 688 River Oaks Drive in Bainbridge after Williams observed one of the vehicle’s tail lights was out. Williams, who was familiar with Ingle from a previous stop, received permission to search Ingle’s car. No drugs were found in the car; however, Sgt. Williams did find several alcoholic beverages.
Sgt. Williams talked with Ingle about whether he and his brother, Zackary Ingle, had any drugs or alcohol at their home. Williams and Sgt. Michael Logue went to the Ingles’ residence on Mount Zion Church Road.
Ingle opened the front door and although no one was found to be home, Williams stated he could smell an odor like that of marijuana coming from inside. After Logue found a drug-related object in plain view, Capt. Chip Nix and other Sheriff’s investigators came to the home with a search warrant.
Inside a jacket found near the drug-related object, investigators found a bag containing 15 suspected ecstasy pills along with a small bag of marijuana. Deputies also seized digital scales, plastic baggies and a half-smoked marijuana joint at the residence, and towed away a pickup truck.
A Sheriff’s Office incident report and the Decatur County Jail do not list any record of either Ingle, his brother or a passenger in Ingle’s car being arrested Thursday night. Capt. Nix was unavailable for comment.
Matthew Ingle was arrested by Bainbridge Public Safety in February as part of a search at a Pine Street, Bainbridge, home which resulted in three other teens’ arrests. He was charged with possession of marijuana at that time.
Zackary Ingle, who was formerly a resident of River Oaks Drive, has at least three prior arrests since 2007, two by BPS and one by School Resource officers, according to previous arrest reports.