BEDFORD – Two people were arrested early this morning after Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Andrew Tillett stopped their vehicle on State Road 37, south of 29th Street for a false or fictitious registration.
The vehicle was a blue 2008 Chevrolet Impala but had a license plate registered to a 2013 Nissan Altima.
Driving the vehicle was 37-year-old Kevin Donnelly, of Springville. His passenger was 42-year-old Maria Carter, of Bloomington.
Carter told police they had recently purchased the vehicle and left the previous owner’s plate on the vehicle. They had no paperwork proving the recent purchase of the vehicle.
Police say both Carter and Donnelly were avoiding eye contact. When asked if there was anything illegal in the vehicle they “both giggled” and said no.
Bedford Police Officer Nick Crulo, Sgt. Toby Gerkin and Oolitic Town Marshal James Harrington and his canine Deny Joe arrived on the scene.
Deny Joe alerted officers to possible drugs in the vehicle.
Inside the vehicle, police found in the center console a scale with meth residue. Inside a Polar Pop cup in the center cup holder, the officers located a baggie containing 1.35 grams of crystal meth. On the passenger, floorboard police found a basket containing two more scales with meth residue on them. They also found a vape pen containing THC.
Both denied the drugs were theirs. Both were arrested on charges of possession of meth and drug paraphernalia.
The vehicle was towed by Jackson’s Heavy Haul.
