13 charged as result of vehicle stops

Thirteen people are facing various alcohol and drug-related charges as a result of vehicle stops made by troopers from the Lehighton state police barracks.

In most of the incidents, police were executing traffic stops when they either found the drivers to be under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, or discovered them to be in possession of controlled substances.

The cases include:

• A 21-year-old Allentown man was found to be in possession of suspected marijuana and marijuana paraphernalia after he was stopped at 4:22 p.m. Sept. 19 on Route 248 westbound in Bowmanstown. He was also found to be driving while his operating privileges are suspended.

• A 24-year-old Palmerton man was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol at 2:34 a.m. Aug. 13 in the 700 block of Edgemont Avenue in Palmerton. Police said he committed several traffic violations and, upon stopping the driver, police detected a strong odor of alcohol emanating from his breath. Police said he was placed under arrest after the administration of field sobriety tests.

• A 53-year-old Palmerton man is facing charges of driving under the influence of drugs and providing false identification to police after he was stopped for a vehicle code violation at 12:15 p.m. Sept. 20. Police said he was positively identified after providing a false name to officers, who learned the operator had a warrant for his arrest out of the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office. In addition to finding the driver under the influence of a controlled substance, the stop also resulted in the man being in possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.

• A 41-year-old Effort man is facing charges of driving under the influence of a controlled substance after he was stopped for a traffic violation at 8:04 p.m. Sept. 2 in the 500 block of Dotter’s Corner Road in Polk Township. Police said they observed multiple indicators of intoxication. The driver was taken into custody with the charges pending the results of blood tests.

• A 28-year-old Kunkletown man was observed committing a traffic violation at 4:13 p.m. Sept. 21 on Route 209, near the Buena Vista Cemetery in Chestnuthill Township. Police said it appeared he was under the influence of drugs. He was taken for a blood test.

• A 26-year-old New Ringgold man was determined to be driving under the influence of alcohol after he was stopped at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 22 at the Palmerton exit of Route 248 in Lower Towamensing Township. Police said charges will be filed accordingly.

• Dina Mae Thomas, 53, of Walnutport, was found to be driving under the influence of alcohol after a traffic stop at 5:11 p.m. Sept. 21 on the Little Gap Road in Lower Towamensing Township. Police said she was requested to submit to a chemical test of the blood.

• An 18-year-old Lehighton woman was arrested for driving under the influence after a traffic stop at 1:15 a.m. Sept. 23 in Route 248, near State Road, in Franklin Township. Police said she was observed driving in the middle of both lanes of Route 248. She displayed signs of intoxication and was found to be in possession of marijuana. She was transported to the Gnaden Huetten Memorial Hospital, Lehighton, for a blood test. Police said charges will be filed upon receipt of the blood test results.

• A 36-year-old Saylorsburg man was stopped for a vehicle violation at midnight Sept. 23 at the intersection of Route 115 and Anchorage Road in Ross Township and was found to be under the influence and in possession of a controlled substance.

• Police responded to a two-vehicle crash at 7:07 p.m. Sept. 23 on Route 115, near Mountain Road, in Ross Township. One of the drivers, a 58-year-old Effort man, was placed into custody for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. Charges will be filed pending the blood analysis.

• A 30-year-old Palmerton man was stopped at 2:21 a.m. Sept. 3 in the 900 block of Fireline Road, Lower Towamensing Township, after committing multiple traffic violations, after which time police detected a strong odor of alcohol emanating from his breath. After the administration of field sobriety tests, he was placed under arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol.

• A 20-year-old man from Long Pond will be arrested for possession of a controlled substance after police stopped to assist him after he pulled off onto the side of the road in the area south of Polk Township and Burger Hollow roads in Polk Township. Police said he was found to be in possession of approximately 24 grams of marijuana.

• A 21-year-old man from Jim Thorpe was stopped for a Motor Vehicle Code violation at 9:22 p.m. Sept. 28 at the intersection of routes 443 and 209 in Lehighton, after which time police learned he was driving under the influence of a controlled substance. He was taken for a blood test. Charges will be filed pending laboratory results.