BEDFORD – An afternoon call regarding suspicious activity in the parking lot of a Bedford pawn shop led to the arrest of a local man on Tuesday, October 22.
Robert D. Philpott, 44, of Bedford, is facing multiple charges, including possession of methamphetamine, possession of a narcotic drug (cocaine), possession of drug paraphernalia, and public intoxication, following an investigation by the Bedford Police Department.
Officers, including Captain Dakoda Emmons, were dispatched to Tomcat’s Pawn in the 2900 block of Mitchell Road at approximately 4:37 p.m. after a complainant reported a male in a white GMC truck “doing drugs.”
Upon arrival, Captain Emmons and another officer found Philpott slumped over in the driver’s seat. The situation quickly escalated when Officer Jones’s presence startled Philpott, causing him to move erratically and reveal an open knife in his left hand. Officers ordered him to drop the weapon and exit the vehicle.
According to Captain Emmons’ affidavit, Philpott struggled to remain still upon exiting the truck, exhibiting pinpoint pupils, an inability to stand still, and rapid speech signs police say are consistent with drug impairment.
A plain view observation from the exterior of the vehicle revealed a bent spoon with residue on the seat, which the officer, based on his training, recognized as consistent with drug usage. This observation led to a probable cause search of the vehicle. During the search, Captain Emmons located multiple syringe caps and retrieved the spoon.
A search of Philpott’s person yielded further evidence: a yellow-tinted pill bottle in his pocket containing two bags—one with a powdery substance and the other with a crystal substance. The substances seized were field tested. The powder-like substance tested positive for cocaine. The crystal-like substance, which had a presumptive weight of approximately two grams, tested positive for methamphetamine, and the residue on the spoon also tested positive for methamphetamine.
The probable cause affidavit also details a video-recorded statement from the complainant, who is associated with the pawn shop. He advised that a customer alerted him to a male “nodding off or convulsing” in the parking lot and “smoking something.”
The employee stated he then observed Philpott “nodding off” repeatedly, waking up only to start “hitting a pipe,” and then nodding off again. The complainant reported that he called the police because he didn’t want the male to drive away and injure someone, and he did not want families visiting his store to witness such activity.
Following his arrest, Philpott was transported to the Lawrence County Jail. Due to his persistent inability to stand still, jail staff had difficulty obtaining a body scan and required an extensive search of his person.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on the information provided in the Probable Cause Affidavit and does not represent a final determination of guilt or innocence.
