BEDFORD – Early Friday, September 22, a Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department deputy arrested a Bedford woman on drug charges and resisting arrest after he stopped her vehicle
Police arrested 38-year-old Nichole Whitner on charges of possession of meth and marijuana, unlawful possession of a syringe, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
According to a probable cause affidavit, at 12:15 a.m. Captain Harrison Fleetwood was on patrol in the area of 16th and G streets when he spotted a blue Hyundai pull out of Eastside Laser Carwash onto 16th Street. The deputy followed the vehicle south on Tunnelton Road where the driver crossed the center line multiple times. The deputy stopped the vehicle at the intersection of South Leatherwood and Tunnelton roads.
The driver was Nichole Whitner and the deputy told her why she was being stopped. She told the officer the vehicle had a bad tierod and that is why she was having trouble staying in her lane.
The deputy reported Whitner seemed to be under the influence.
She was asked if there was anything illegal or any weapons in the vehicle. She told the deputy there was a machete behind the driver’s seat.
Sgt. Tillett and Oolitic Town Marshall James Harrington and his canine Deny Joe assisted at the scene along with Indiana State Troopers Cody Brown and Tyler Trueblood.
While the deputy was issuing Whitner a warning for driving left of center, Deny Joe alerted officers to possible drugs in the vehicle.
Officers found syringes in the driver’s floorboard and another used syringe in a bag in the driver’s seat, both tested positive for meth.
Officers then attempted to detain Whitner, but she stiffened up and pulled away from the officer. An officer had to forcibly pull her arms behind her back to place her in handcuffs. She was then charged with resisting arrest.
ISP Trooper Cody Brown located a purple crown royal back behind a plastic panel in the
passenger side floorboard. The crown royal bag contained 10 unopened syringes and a pink pencil box that held 11 syringes and a silver container with crystal meth. A glass container was also found housing marijuana in the front seat.
Whitner was transported to the Lawrence County Jail and her vehicle was towed by Mikels Towing and Recovery LLC.
