Traffic stop leads to drug charges for Tamaqua man

A nonworking headlight resulted in a written warning for a Tamaqua man, but what officers found during the traffic stop resulted in the man being cited for drug-related charges.

An officer on patrol at 11:30 p.m. Jan. 30 in the area of the Five Points intersection saw a white Subaru approaching from the east. The Subaru's front headlight was out and the driver made a left turn onto Mauch Chunk Street. The officer followed and conducted a traffic stop, identifying the driver as William Walker Willing, 44, of 70 Hunter St., Tamaqua.

When asked for his license and registration, Willing had a difficult time accessing his glove compartment due to the many items stacked up, blocking it. As he opened the driver's side door to place a container on the ground, the officer noticed a cut straw nestled in the driver's-side door handle. Willing said he found it on the ground and "just picked it up."

Willing agreed to exit his vehicle and submit to a search of his person and of the vehicle. Officers found a small white container and keychain with green vegetable matter, as well as a brass fitting for an air compressor, also filled with green vegetable matter, in his pockets. Two more cut straws were found inside the car in the driver's area.

He was given a written warning for the headlight and charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.