The sheriff’s department arrested a 27-year-old Gainesboro man and charged him for his sixth offense of driving on a suspended license on March 2.
Terry Russell Whittaker, Jr. was also issued citations for possession of drug paraphernalia and improper passing. According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, a sheriff's department detective spotted a vehicle driving at a high rate of speed on Highway 70 East and saw it pass another vehicle on a double-yellow line.
The detective stopped the vehicle and found Whittaker to be the driver. He allegedly volunteered that he did not have a valid driver license. A check reportedly confirmed that Whittaker’s license was suspended for failure to pay fines due to a traffic violation, and that he had five additional charges of driving on a suspended license convictions on his record.
Ray said a search of the vehicle revealed two hypodermic needles that Whittaker said he used for Subutex.
His bond was set at $15,000, and he will appear in court on March 26.
Gary Jason Britt, 47, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence and reckless endangerment on March 8, as well as being cited for driving on roadways laned for travel.
Ray said a deputy spotted the driver of a Ford pickup truck failing to maintain his lane of travel on Highway 288, crossing the center line several times. The officer made a traffic stop and found Britt who had a strong odor of alcohol on his person, to be the driver. His 13-year-old daughter was allegedly a passenger in Britt’s truck with him at the time, resulting in the reckless endangerment charge. The sheriff said Britt performed poorly on field sobriety tasks, and submitted to a blood alcohol test.
His bond was set at $4,000, and he will appear in court on May 7.
Samantha Bee Florida, 32, of Liberty was cited for a light law violation, simple possession of a schedule II drug, and possession of drug paraphernalia on March 3. Sheriff Ray said that a deputy spotted a car driven by Florida with an inoperable tail light, and stopped the vehicle. After consent to search was given, Ray said the deputy found a loaded syringe containing 60 units of morphine, along with five other empty syringes, a spoon, and a straw with a white powdery substance inside.
She will appear in court on March 26.
Charles Michael Blanchfield, 32, of Dowelltown was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia on March 8. The sheriff said a deputy pulled into a gas station on Highway 70, where employees told him that a vehicle had been at the pumps for over an hour. The deputy performed a welfare check on the driver of the automobile, who proved to be Blanchfield. A search of the driver and vehicle reportedly turned up two syringes.
He will appear in court on July 16.