Police: Blair County man possessed large amounts of cocaine and heroin in vehicle

A Blair County man has been charged with drug possession after a search of his vehicle yielded large amounts of cocaine and heroin.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by trooper William Golden of the Pennsylvania State Police, Troop N, Fern Ridge:

On Monday, Golden observed a vehicle traveling westbound on Interstate 80 making a drastic change in speed as it approached his location.

The vehicle went over the left fog line several times, continuing to fluctuate its speed between 50 and 80 mph in the posted 65 mph zone.

Golden conducted a traffic stop, approached the passenger side and spoke to the driver, who immediately asked, “What’s your probable cause?”

He told the driver, who was identified as Ernest Sims, 42. Sims was unable to provide a photo identification, but said he had just left a hospital rehabilitation center in Allentown after visiting his cousin.

Sims said he was on his way back to Altoona, where he lives.

Golden said the car was registered to someone else.

Golden said Sims was nervous and fidgeting with items in his pockets.

Sims didn’t put his vehicle in park, and at one time removed his foot from the brake, moving the car slightly.

Golden told him to place his vehicle in park, returned to his patrol vehicle and discovered that Sims’ license was DUI suspended.

Golden searched a black plastic bag in the trunk under the carpet of the driver side, which contained a large clear bag of suspected crack cocaine, a clear bag of suspected powder cocaine, and 25 bricks of suspected heroin wrapped in purple paper and taped together.

Sims was taken into custody and asked for a lawyer.

Suspected drugs confiscated were 101 grams of crack cocaine, 16 grams of powder cocaine and 25 bricks of heroin, with each brick containing 50 individual glassine bags of heroin.

Sims faces charges of the controlled substance, drug, device and cosmetic act; driving while operating privilege is suspended or revoked, and traffic violations.

He is currently incarcerated in the Carbon County Correctional Facility in lieu of $75,000 bail, and is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing April 3 before District Judge Joseph D. Homanko Sr. of Weatherly.