By Bonnie Culverhouse
An alleged reckless driver who fell asleep at the wheel awakened to a police presence Tuesday.
Stephen Cody Milam, 37, of the 1200 block of Hwy. 159, Minden, was arrested by Minden police for possession of Fentanyl and drug paraphernalia, driving while intoxicated, driving under suspension and obstructing public passages.
Police Chief Jared McIver said Lt. Chris Hammontree and officers Anthony Crittenden and Jordan Greer were dispatched to East and West Street in response to a call concerning a reckless driver in a black Chevy Tahoe.
“When Lt. Hammontree arrived, he found the Tahoe stopped in the lane of travel with six cars backed up behind it,” McIver said. “The vehicle had extensive damage like it had been involved in several crashes.”
The driver, identified as Milam, was allegedly asleep at the wheel.
“The subject had a bag of pills in his lap,” said the chief. “Lt. Hammontree woke Milam by tapping on the window. When he woke up, he let his foot off the brake and the vehicle started rolling toward Off. Crittenden’s patrol unit.”
Milam reportedly stopped the vehicle and Hammontree opened the driver’s side door.
“Lt. Hammontree grabbed the bag and Milam’s phone so they wouldn’t fall,” McIver said. “The officer smelled the strong odor of burnt marijuana when Milam exited the vehicle. When questioned about it, Milam said he did not smoke marijuana in his car and did not know what the pills were. Then he said a lot of people drive his car.”
During a search of the vehicle, officers reportedly located a partially-smoked marijuana joint in the center console and a “snorting straw” in a cigarette pack. The pills were identified as Fentanyl-based.
“Once at the Minden Police Department, Drug Recognition Expert Lt. Joel Kendrick took custody of Milam to perform a field sobriety test,” said the chief. “Milam failed and due to a 2014 conviction, he was charged with second offense driving while intoxicated. His license was suspended May 25, 2023.”
Milam was booked and transported to Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center.
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.
