Bartholomew County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a local man on drug-related charges after a deputy observed a traffic infraction on north U.S. 31 near County Road 650N.
Deputy Sgt. Kris Weisner saw a Jeep Cherokee disregard a traffic light at the intersection and stopped the driver, identified as Aaron J. Starkey, 27, of 1734 Beam Road, at 2:34 a.m. Wednesday, deputies said. Starkey told Weisner he had been looking at his cellphone and did not see the traffic light.
Weisner detected the odor of marijuana coming from the inside of the vehicle, which Starkey denied, deputies said. However, K9 Bolt alerted to narcotics inside Starkey’s vehicle, where Weisner located a black zipper pouch containing a glass smoking pipe, a set of digital scales, a grinder and a bag containing a green leafy substance, deputies said. A backpack on the floorboard contained a plastic container with six plastic baggies, with a green leafy substance inside each, deputies said.
Starkey was arrested on preliminary charges of dealing in marijuana, possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia, deputies said.
Starkey has since been released from the Bartholomew County Jail, jail officials said.
