LAWRENCE COUNTY— A woman was arrested Sunday evening on methamphetamine-related charges following a traffic stop by the Indiana State Police.
According to authorities, Trooper Jesse Crane initiated the stop at approximately 7:23 p.m. on March 2 after observing a red and black Chevrolet Silverado driving left of center and weaving within its lane on Mitchell Road, just north of 25th Street. Upon making contact with the driver and passenger, identified as Tanna Covey, Crane noted unusual behavior. Covey kept the hood of her sweatshirt up and avoided eye contact, raising suspicions of possible criminal activity.
Crane requested assistance from Bedford Police Officer Bell and his canine partner. While running background checks on the driver and Covey, Crane discovered Covey had a pending methamphetamine possession case in Monroe County. Officer Bell’s canine partner conducted a free air sniff around the vehicle, alerting officers to the presence of narcotics on the passenger side.
Both the driver and Covey were read their Miranda rights and interviewed separately. The driver denied knowledge of any illegal contraband in the vehicle. During her interview, Covey mentioned a white bag, claiming it came from a vehicle related to her previous arrest and stating she had not inspected its contents.
A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted. While nothing was found on the driver’s side, officers located the white bag on the passenger’s side. Inside, they discovered three aluminum foil bindles containing a brownish crystal substance with burnt residue, along with a white cloth containing a clear glass smoking device with a white substance inside. Based on Crane’s experience in drug investigations, he identified the items as drug paraphernalia used for smoking methamphetamine.
Covey was arrested and booked into the Lawrence County Jail. While she denied knowledge of the contraband, she confirmed ownership of the white bag, which contained none of the driver’s belongings. Field tests conducted on the substances from the glass smoking device and the aluminum foil bindles both yielded positive results for methamphetamine.
Covey was charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of paraphernalia. The investigation remains ongoing.
Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
