BEDFORD – Two men were arrested Saturday night after a Bedford Police officer stopped their vehicle at State Road 37 and Brock Lane after noticing the license plate light was not working.
The officer identified the driver as 42-year-old Damien Tyler, of Greencastle and his front-seat passenger 45-year-old James Stepter, of Terre Haute.
Tyler was a habitual traffic offender and was wanted on a warrant out of Vigo County on a charge of murder and conspiracy to commit armed robbery. Officers then conducted a felony stop and immediately detained both men.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Terre Haute Police investigators state that Tyler was at a home in the 2200 block of First Avenue when 32-year-old Ronald Arrowsmith died from a gunshot wound to the head.
While conducting a pat-down for weapons on Stepter, he informed the officer had had a meth pipe in his shoe. The glass smoking device contained a powdery residue and was removed from Stepter’s right shoe.
On Tyler police found a baggie containing meth.
During a search of a vehicle, officers located a black 9mm Ruger LC9s in a storage compartment between the front seats. Both Tyler and Stepter denied any knowledge of the firearm.
A pill bottle containing crystal meth and two glass smoking devices containing meth residue between the driver’s seat and the center console. A tube containing meth residue was located in the glove box, as well as a partial red straw containing meth residue, and a glass smoking device containing meth residue was located in the back passenger’s compartment.
Stepter was arrested on charges of possession of meth in the presence of a firearm and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Tyler was arrested on the outstanding murder warrant and new charges of possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, possession of methamphetamine in the presence of a firearm, habitual traffic offender, carrying a handgun without a license, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
