GSP makes drug arrest Monday night

Published 5:34 pm Thursday, June 28, 2012

Bainbridge Public Safety and the Georgia State Patrol worked together to arrest a local man on multiple drug-related charges Monday night.

According to a GSP incident report, State Trooper First Class Brian Palmer was contacted by Bainbridge Public Safety Deputy Director Frank Green, who had information about a possible transport of illegal drugs between Bainbridge and Cairo, Ga.

Palmer began patrolling on U.S. Highway 84 East, looking out for a vehicle that Green had described as belonging to the suspect. Just after 8 p.m. Monday, Palmer noticed a vehicle matching the description on U.S. Highway 84, near Burt Phillips Road, and observed it weaving in its lane as he passed.

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In his report, Palmer stated that after he got the Focus’ driver, 47-year-old James Nathaniel Wright, of 1323 Reynolds St., Bainbridge, to pull over, he appeared to be nervous and was “shaking uncontrollably and sweating” as he looked for his driver’s license.

Palmer asked Wright to step out of the car, at which point the state trooper smelled what he believed to be the odor of burnt marijuana coming from the driver’s clothes. The trooper received permission to search Wright’s car and noticed that Wright continued to act strangely, including making nonsensical comments while the car was being searched.

Behind a speaker box in the car’s trunk, Palmer found a large, green, leafy brick which appeared to be marijuana.  There were also two clear plastic baggies containing a white rock and powder substance which appeared to be cocaine. The suspected drugs were placed in an evidence bag and turned over to BPS Investigator Mark Esquivel for further testing.

Wright was arrested and taken to the emergency room at Memorial Hospital for a blood test he consented to. He then was taken to the Decatur County Jail.

He is charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.