WEST BADEN SPRINGS — An Arizona couple faces multiple drug-related charges after Indiana State Police conducted a traffic stop on State Road 56 in Orange County on Saturday.
Troopers initiated the stop in West Baden Springs and subsequently conducted a vehicle search after suspecting criminal activity. During the search, officers located and seized quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana, along with drug paraphernalia.
The driver, 63-year-old Dominic Benavidez of Fort Mohave, Arizona, was taken into custody and remanded to the Orange County Jail. He faces preliminary charges including operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI), possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
His passenger, 58-year-old Tauni Hinesley, also of Fort Mohave, was arrested and booked into the Orange County Jail on a preliminary charge of Possession of Methamphetamine.
Orange County Law Enforcement Operations
The traffic stop is part of ongoing regional enforcement efforts by the Indiana State Police Jasper Post, which covers Orange, Dubois, Crawford, Martin, and Perry counties. State troopers frequently utilize targeted patrols along key thoroughfares like State Road 56 and State Road 145 to interdict illegal substances and ensure motorist safety.
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent until proven guilty through a fair and due legal process. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
