Effort woman faces drug possession charges

An Effort woman has been charged with drug possession after a traffic stop in Polk Township.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Lehighton state police: At 8:38 a.m. July 5, police saw a gray Hyundai Elantra parked in Sunny’s Gas Station in Kresgeville.

Police ran a check on the registration plate and learned the vehicle’s registration expired February 2016. Police pulled the car over when the driver left the gas station and traveled north onto Route 209 in Polk Township.

Police saw the driver’s eyes were glassy and her pupils were constricted. The passenger was identified as Brittany Vanhouwe, 34, of the 800 block of Toll Road.

Vanhouwe told police she had heroin in her driver’s side door, and gave him consent to search the vehicle. Police found a large amount of glassine baggies containing suspected heroin, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, stored in two Arizona drink containers with false compartments located in the center condole of her vehicle.

Vanhouwe failed a field sobriety test and admitted she had used heroin before driving.

Vanhouwe’s blood results revealed amphetamine and morphine.

Vanhouwe faces charges of the controlled substance, drug, device and cosmetic act: prohibited acts; penalties; driving under the influence of alcohol or controlled substance; expired registration; and careless driving.

She is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing at 10 a.m. March 8 before District Judge Colleen Mancuso of Brodheadsville.