A motorist was issued a summons Thursday, March 27, following a traffic stop by officers of the Bellefontaine Police Department in the area of the 300 block of south Main Street.
Shayne Proffit, 41, of Columbus, was cited for driving without a license and possession of an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle.
Around 5:47 p.m., officers stopped Proffit’s gold Toyota sedan after observing him make an improper turn from West Auburn Avenue onto South Main Street. The vehicle came to a stop in the Sherwin Williams Paint parking lot.
Proffit, who could not provide a driver’s license, was identified by his Social Security number. Officers confirmed he did not have a valid license and had two outstanding warrants, though both were outside the pickup radius.
A consent search was conducted, and officers found an open can of beer situated between the driver’s seat and the center door pillar. The defendant then reportedly asked for his coffee from the center console and officers detected the odor of alcohol. Upon further inspection, the cup was found to be filled with beer. Proffit admitted it was not coffee but claimed the beverage belonged to a friend.
A grocery bag containing cigarettes and an unopened can of beer matching the open container was located under the driver’s seat. Officers poured out the remaining alcohol before releasing the vehicle to a valid driver contacted by Proffit. He was issued a summons for the open container violation and a citation for driving without a license.