A Lawrence County teenager was charged with numerous drug related felonies after being pulled over just outside of Loogootee Saturday morning.
Indiana State Police say at around 8:30 am Saturday a trooper observed a passenger car traveling eastbound on US Highway 50 near Church Street.
Police say the the car, driven by 18-year old Garrett Diehl of Bedford was traveling with the passenger wheels across the fog line, almost touching the grass.
After turning his vehicle around the trooper followed Diehl to observe additional driving behaviors; he later noticed the vehicle cross over the center line and back over the white fog line numerous times before pulling Diehl’s car over on US 50, west of Hart Road.
While speaking to Diehl, the trooper could smell the odor of alcoholic beverages coming from within the vehicle. Police learned that Diehl and his 16 year old passenger had left a party in Bloomington and were trying to return home to Bedford, but had become lost.
Further investigation by police found that Diehl had smoked marijuana and taken Xanex only hours before being pulled over. A search of the car unveiled a metal grinder with what was believed to be marijuana inside.
Martin County Deputies transported the 16 year old passenger who was summoned into court for possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia to the Martin County Security Center in Shoals where he was picked up by his mother.
Diehl was taken to Daviess Community Hospital, where he presumably tested positive for having drugs in his system.
He was then transported back to the Martin County Jail where he was lodged, without incident, on charges of operating while intoxicated with a minor passenger in the vehicle, maintaining a common nuisance, and neglect of a dependent, all Level 6 Felonies.
