Two arrested after police canine alerts to drugs in vehicle

A traffic stop by Columbus police led to the arrests of two local men on several drug-related charges.

Sgt. Kyle Young saw an SUV that did not have an illuminated license plate and stopped it at 11:30 p.m. Thursday near Indiana and Gladstone avenues, said Alyson Rech, Columbus Police Department spokeswoman.

Young spoke with the driver, Carl E. Bill, 27, 6251 W. County Road 450S, and a passenger, Christopher J. Browning, 26, 9688 Peach Court, Rech said. A police canine alerted to the odor of narcotics in the vehicle and while searching the vehicle, officers found a syringe behind the driver’s seat, Rech said.

Both men were arrested after officers determined Bill had a suspended driver’s license and there were two warrants pending for Browning’s arrest, Rech said.

While searching Bill, officers found a small container with a burned spoon, aluminum foil with a brown tar substance that tested positive for heroin and a hand-rolled cigarette that contained marijuana, Rech said. Officers also found a Suboxene strip in Bill’s wallet, along with a small bag containing a crystal substance that tested positive for methamphetamine, Rech said.

Christopher J. Browning
Christopher J. Browning

Browning was arrested on the two Bartholomew County arrest warrants.

Bill was arrested on preliminary charges of:

  • Possession of heroin
  • Possession of methamphetamine
  • Possession of a legend drug injection device
  • Possession of marijuana
  • Possession of a controlled substance
  • Possession of paraphernalia
  • Driving while suspended with a prior conviction

For more on this story, see Saturday’s Republic.