A Wildwood woman was arrested when a K-9 sniffed out narcotics in a Crown Royal bag during a traffic stop at Circle K.
An officer assisted a K-9 unit with a traffic stop at Circle K, located at 3300 W. Main St., at 12:15 a.m. Monday, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department. Upon arrival, he observed a blue Ford utility vehicle occupied by a female driver, later identified as 31-year-old Melanie Iris Hogans, and a back seat male passenger.
While completing a written warning infraction for Hogans driving the vehicle with an expired registration, the K-9 unit sniffed around the outside of the vehicle. The K-9 positively alerted to the odor of narcotics, which led to a search of the vehicle, the report said.
A green Crown Royal pouch was found on the front passenger seat floorboard that contained a glass smoking pipe with brown burnt residue. There was a yellow pill-like container with two empty baggies containing white residue, burnt foil strips with burnt narcotic residue and a cut straw inside the pouch, as well. There was also a rolled-up dollar bill with white powdery residue, the report said.
In between the driver’s seat and center console, the officers found a blue zip-top style baggie containing a white powdery substance. This tested positive for cocaine and weighed 0.6 grams. The officers also discovered a clear zip-top style baggie behind the driver’s seat which contained a crystalline substance. This tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed 1 gram, the report said.
The officers read the passenger his rights, and he advised that Hogans tried to hand him a blue and clear baggie when law enforcement turned on emergency lights for a traffic stop. He stated he shoved her hand away as he did not want to have the baggies, the report said.
Hogans was subsequently arrested on charges of possession of cocaine, possession of methamphetamine and two counts of drug paraphernalia (possess or use). She was transported to Lake County Jail and released after posting $6,000 bond.