Routine traffic stop turns into large drug bust
Published 5:06 pm Friday, May 27, 2016
By Bridget Walker
James Guy Jr. was arrested Tuesday after a routine traffic stop led to a “pretty sizable drug bust,” according to Bainbridge Public Safety Investigator Chip Nix.
Guy was charged with possession of marijuana with the intent to sell, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of drug related objects, cutting corners and possession of schedule I or II controlled substance with intent to distribute.
Officers Tim McCain and George McMillan were observing traffic when they saw a vehicle cut through the Burger King parking lot, avoiding the intersection of Shotwell Street and Boulevard Drive. McCain then activated the car’s siren and initiated a traffic stop in reference to City Ordinance Section 78-24 “Cutting Corners.”
“When they stopped the vehicle, they noticed the odor of marijuana,” said Nix. “They proceeded to investigate that, and through that investigation, it led them to a pat down of the driver, and they found a quantity of marijuana on his person.”
McCain asked Guy if he had anything else on him or in the vehicle. Guy admitted that there was and was then placed him under arrest.
“Further search of the vehicle revealed a larger quantity of marijuana packaged for sale along with digital scales, a quantity of ecstasy, a quantity of powder cocaine and a quantity of crack cocaine,” said Nix. “And all of the drugs were packaged, like they were for sale.”
The drugs were being stored in the backseat of the vehicle, the center console and in a locked CD case found in the trunk.
According to Nix, there was “several hundred dollars worth of marijuana and cocaine”, along with 11 pills that were discovered to be ecstasy.
“It’s good to know that the patrol officers at Public Safety are aggressively trying to fight the war on drugs instead of just relying on investigations to do it,” said Nix. “When they get out there and proactively look past the routine traffic stop, it’s great. We got a lot of officers that do that. They look for those indicators and those signs that there’s public crimes afoot.”