No Seatbelt Lands Heath Texas Man in Jail
April 14, 2023 – James Edward Arnold, age 54, was arrested this week by DPS on Interstate 30. The initial traffic stop was for failure to secure his seatbelt.
James ‘Jim’ Arnold was traveling east on I-30 around 2:30pm. A DPS Trooper saw Arnold pass and noticed Arnold did not have his seatbelt on.
During the traffic stop, the Trooper detected a strong odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. The Trooper saw a handgun in plain view and within reach of Arnold. Arnold allegedly admitted to having ‘a usable amount of marijuana’ inside his black Ford pickup.
After Arnold was secured in handcuffs a probable cause search was conducted. That search revealed oxycodone pills, three marijuana joints, and a vape pen containing THC.
Arnold, the sole occupant of the vehicle, faces these charges:
- 1 481.115(B) POSS CS PG 1/1-B <1G
- 1 46.02(B) UNL CARRYING WEAPON
- 1 481.121(B)(1) POSS MARIJ < 2OZ
Arnold was transported to Hopkins County Jail without incident. His Ford pickup was release to his wife, who was driving ahead of him in a separate vehicle.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
