Coaldale traffic stop leads to two arrests

A traffic stop in Coaldale on March 19 led to criminal charges for two men.

An officer was on patrol at 2:30 a.m. when he saw the driver of a maroon Mitsubishi throw a cigarette out the window onto Route 209. The Mitsubishi was stopped and the driver identified as Charles Stephen Hausman, 33, of Wilkes-Barre.

As the officer spoke with Hausman, he noticed a strong odor of alcohol. Hausman admitted he does not have a valid driver's license as it was suspended for driving under the influence.

He admitted knowing his car's inspection was invalid and to drinking one beer.

When asked to do field sobriety tests, he asked for a breath test instead. The test indicated he was legally intoxicated. He refused to submit to a blood test.

Hausman was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, driving with a suspended license, driving without a valid inspection and scattering rubbish.

A passenger in the rear seat identified himself as Michael Schartel and provided a date of birth, but no paper identification.

While speaking with Schartel, the officer noticed a Pennsylvania identification card sticking out from under the man's right leg. That identification was for Douglas James Schartel.

When asked about the ID, Schartel admitted he was Douglas and gave the false name as there might be a warrant for his arrest.

He was removed from the car and searched.

The search turned up 11 white pills marked ASC116, which Schartel said were oxycodone, which he uses to combat his heroin addiction. The pills were actually methadone, for which he didn't have a prescription.

He was charged with providing false identification to law enforcement, misbranding of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance.