Palmerton man faces drug charges after vehicle stop

A Palmerton man has been charged with drug possession after he was found with methamphetamine.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by trooper Charles Inserra of the Pennsylvania State Police Lehighton barracks:

At 2:25 p.m. Dec. 27, Trooper Mark Bower and Inserra saw a truck, driven by Shawn Davison, 40, that had a ball-style hitch that blocked the center of the vehicle registration plate, and had what appeared to be tools and other assorted items piled in the bed of the pickup above the height of the vehicle cab, blocking the rear windshield of the vehicle.

Police saw the vehicle swerve abruptly to the right and cross the white fog line of Blakeslee Boulevard, and then turn right onto East Penn Street. Police conducted a traffic stop on East Penn Street just north of Blakeslee Boulevard.

Inserra asked Davison if he had used any drugs before driving. He said he did not. Officer Bruce Broyles of the Lehighton Police Department arrived to assist.

Davison failed field sobriety tests. He initially agreed to consent to a blood draw and was taken into custody and searched; a black vape pen containing suspected marijuana was found within his pants pocket. Inserra also located a small clear bag containing white powder in Davison’s front shirt pocket.

Bower searched the vehicle and found a locked black Flambeau brand storage box. Davison refused to allow Bower to open it and indicated that he did not want it searched. Police ceased further search of the vehicle.

Davison was transported to St. Luke’s Lehighton Campus but refused consent for a blood draw and said his religion did not permit him to participate. He was released.

The white powder substance weighed about 1.9 grams and tested positive for methamphetamine.

Carbon County Assistant District Attorney Brian Gazo approved the application for a search warrant. Inserra executed the search warrant and found the following items located with the Flambeau brand storage box: A small clear bag containing about 18.8 grams of suspected methamphetamine, and a metal grinder/storage device containing about 2 grams of suspected methamphetamine, both of which tested positive for methamphetamine; a clear bag containing an unknown brown substance located in an envelope in the front seat area of the vehicle.

The suspected methamphetamine seized weighed 22.7 grams.

Davison faces charges of possession of controlled substance, drug, device and cosmetic act; driving under the influence of alcohol or controlled substance; display of registration plate; careless driving; unlawful activities and vehicle violations.

He is currently incarcerated in the Carbon County Correctional Facility in lieu of $50,000 bail, and is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing Jan. 22 before District Judge Eric M. Schrantz of Jim Thorpe.