In a routine traffic stop on Thursday, May 25, officers from the Bellefontaine Police Department discovered crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia, leading to the arrest of a local man on charges of drug possession and parole violation.
Around 3:45 p.m., officers noticed a vehicle traveling on west Sandusky Avenue near Main Street. Upon running a registration check, it was revealed that the license plate on the vehicle did not match the registration information. This prompted the police to initiate a traffic stop at the Hyland Hills Plaza, suspecting fictitious registration.
The driver of the vehicle, identified as 46-year-old Michael Williams, claimed to have recently purchased the vehicle but confessed to being on parole at the time. Officers proceeded to question Williams about any illegal items in his possession or inside the vehicle. Williams admitted to having a crack pipe inside the vehicle and, when asked about crack cocaine, he revealed its presence underneath the driver’s seat.
With probable cause established, the officers conducted a search of the vehicle. During the search, they discovered a prescription bottle containing multiple pieces of crack cocaine beneath the driver’s seat. Adjacent to the prescription bottle was the crack pipe, which Williams admitted to possessing.
The crack cocaine and pipe were determined to be within Williams’ direct reach, possession, and control, leading to his immediate arrest at the scene.
No other illegal items were found during the search of the vehicle, indicating that the crack cocaine and pipe were the sole contraband present.
Williams was transported to the Logan County Jail, where he was lodged on charges of possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony, and a parole violation. The seized crack cocaine was field tested and confirmed to be positive.
