Seven individuals were arrested on possession charges, resulting from three traffic stops and a suspicious vehicle check, conducted over the weekend of Dec. 30, 2022 to Jan. 1, 2023, according to arrest reports.
East Industrial Drive Traffic Stop
Sulphur Springs Police Cpl. Chris Rosamond and Officer Zach Davis reported stopping a Chevrolet van at 10:57 p.m. Dec. 30, 2022, for defective lighting. Upon contact with the driver, police reported smelling a strong marijuana odor coming from the van’s interior. A search of the vehicle yielded a cigarette box with a baggy containing a white powder-like substance the officer believed was cocaine and a straw in the common area between the van seats, Rosamond alleged in arrest reports.
When both occupants denied knowledge and ownership of the box and its contents, both the driver and passenger, identified in arrest reports as 48-year-old Shakendrick Lamar Pettigrew of Tyler and 24-year-old Montashia Shenil McCarty of Paris, were taken into custody at 11:37 p.m. Friday for possession of the suspected controlled substance.
Prior to being transported to jail, the woman allegedly admitted she’d concealed marijuana in a body cavity; it was retrieved by staff upon arrival at the jail, Rosamond alleged in arrest reports. Both Pettigrew and McCarty were booked into Hopkins County jail just after midnight on a possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance charge, according to arrest reports.
Pettigrew remained in the county jail Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, on the felony charge, while McCarty was released from Hopkins County jail later Dec. 31, 2022, according to jail reports.
Suspicious Vehicle Check
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Scott Davis reported seeing a Chevrolet Silverado, with the truck lights and engine running, parked across several parking spots at a State Highway 11 east business in Como at 1:17 a.m. Dec. 31, 2022. Aware the business was closed, the deputy pulled in behind the pickup to check for suspicious activity. As he approached the driver’s side door, Sgt. Davis noted a large dog in the bed of the truck. He noted a man appeared to be asleep in the driver’s seat with a large baggy with a white substance visible on the console.
Davis reported waking up the man, who opened his door. The man, identified as 31-year-old Reed Ballard of Como, was asked about the bag on the console. He initially tried to conceal it, but eventually admitted it contained methamphetamine, Davis alleged in arrest reports. Ballard was placed into custody at 1:30 a.m., but was allowed to contact a family member who lived less than a mile from the location to take possession of both the dog and truck.
Ballard and the contraband were transported to jail. The substance field-tested positive for meth and weighed 8.7 grams, including packaging, resulting in the Como man being booked into Hopkins County jail at 2:49 a.m. Saturday, on a possession of 4 grams or more but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance charge, Davis alleged in arrest reports.
The 31-year-old remained in Hopkins County jail Monday, Jan. 3, 2022, on the felony controlled substance charge, according to jail records.
Texas Street Traffic Stop
HCSO Sgt. Tanner Steward and Deputy Elijah Fite reported stopping a maroon Chevrolet van on Texas Street at Peach at 3:13 p.m. New Year’s Day 2023 for failure to signal the proper distance prior to a turn. Upon contact with the driver, deputies recognized him as a man who id not have a valid driver’s license. While speaking to the driver, from the passenger’s side of the van, Steward reported seeing an open beer can un the passenger’s side floorboard. He had all three occupants step out of the van and obtained permission to search the vehicle and its contents, deputies alleged in arrest reports.
After removing a metal ashtray in the center console deputies reported finding a baggy containing a crystal-like substance the deputies suspected was methamphetamine. All three occupants denied any knowledge about the contraband. All three were placed under arrest around 3:30 p.m. Jan. 1, 2023, and transported to jail, along with the contraband, according to arrest reports.
At the jail the crystal-like substance, including packaging weighed 1 gram, resulting in 30-year-old Lauren Serene Maxwell of Sulphur Springs, and 54-year-old Floyd Taylor and 60-year-old Terry Ray Boles, both of Como, being booked into the county jail at 4:40 p.m. Sunday, Fite and Steward alleged in arrest reports.
Maxwell remained in the jail Monday, Jan. 2, 2022. Boles was released Monday on a possession of a Penalty Group 2-A controlled substance in a drug-free zone charge. Taylor also was released Monday on the felony possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance in drug-free zone charge, according to jail records.
I-30 East Traffic Stop
Cumby Police Officer Justin Talley reported stopping a Mercedes E350 at 3:25 p.m. Jan. 1, 2023, on Interstate 30 east at mile marker 116 for speeding, traveling 90 in a 75 mph speed zone. The driver was identified.
A Texas Department of Public Safety canine a short time later responded to conduct an open air sniff around the vehicle. The dog positively alerted for controlled substances on the car door. A probable cause search allegedly revealed 12.9 grams of suspected Tramadol HCL tablets in the Fort Worth woman’s purse, Talley alleged in arrest reports.
The woman was arrested at 4:14 p.m. New Year’s Day and transported to jail, where she was booked in at 5:23 p.m. Jan. 1, 2023, on a possession of less than 28 grams of a Penalty Group 3 controlled substance charge. She was released from Hopkins County jail Jan. 2, 2023 on the misdemeanor charge, according to jail reports.
