By Pat Culverhouse
An impromptu dance in a Shreveport Rd. convenience store parking lot aroused the suspicions of a Minden police officer and resulted in the arrest of a local man on charges including possession of illegal narcotics.
Minden Chief of Police Jared McIver said 42-year-old Joseph Danielle Fullwood, who resides in the 700 block of Yale St., has been booked for possession of CDS Sch. II (methamphetamine), possession of drug paraphernalia, obstruction of justice, resisting an officer and on an outstanding warrant following his arrest in the early morning hours Monday.
McIver said Lt. Chris Hammontree observed Fullwood acting erratically outside the convenience store, then followed him down Erwin Thompson Drive. Fullwood reportedly ignored several verbal demands from police to stop for questioning before eventually being placed in custody.
“The suspect never stopped walking when officers asked him to stop, and began jogging away,” McIver said. “He was wearing low-slung pants and our officers observed him dropping items from them as he continued to walk away.”
After Fullwood was taken into custody, officers reportedly retrieved a baggie containing methamphetamine and a metal spoon commonly associated with intravenous meth use. He was later booked into Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center.
Traffic stop leads to drug arrests
In a separate drug-related incident last week, two local residents are looking at charges after officers pulled over a vehicle on Sheppard St. for a traffic violation.
McIver said 31-year-old Elizabeth Coker and 53-year-old Stephen Garland, both of whom list an address in the 300 block of Garland Dr., were each booked on possession of illegal narcotics plus other charges.
Coker reportedly is charged with possession of CDS Sch. II (methamphetamine), possession of drug paraphernalia and failure to register a vehicle. Garland’s charges include possession of CDS Sch. II (methamphetamine), possession of Legend drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.
After the traffic stop, McIver said Sgt. Chris Cayer found methamphetamine inside a cigarette pack in Coker’s purse, and more methamphetamine plus Legend drugs inside a backpack in the vehicle behind the seat in which Garland was a passenger.
Both reportedly were transferred to Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center.
Police arrest Minden woman on drug charges
And, a Friday traffic stop on Bayou Avenue put a passenger in custody after an officer reportedly found a pipe commonly used for smoking methamphetamine inside the vehicle.
According to McIver, 36-year-old Melanie Elise Lope, of the 600 block of Constable, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Officer Ben Sparks reportedly received permission to search the vehicle and discovered a meth pipe on the floor where Lope was seated. He reportedly also found a small amount of methamphetamine in a marijuana grinder.
McIver said the driver of the vehicle was charged with two traffic violations and for driving under suspension.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
