License plates that didn’t match the vehicle was the tipoff to a Minden police officer that led to a traffic stop which resulted in a couple’s arrest on illegal narcotics charges.
Chief of Police Jared McIver said Off. Kendale Booker stopped a vehicle on Interstate 20 driven by 46-year-old Bradley Weidner of Shreveport for a traffic violation and the switched plates.
“Officer Booker received permission to search the vehicle and during his investigation, he found illegal narcotics and drug paraphernalia,” McIver said.
Inside the vehicle, Off. Booker reportedly found a pill bottle containing 2.8 grams of methamphetamine, four Percocet pills, one Diazepam and a pipe commonly used for smoking narcotics.
Weidner is charged with possession CDS Sch. II (methamphetamine), possession CDS Sch. II (Percocet), possession CDS Sch IV (Diazepam), possession drug paraphernalia, driving under suspension, switched license plates and a traffic violation.
A passenger in the vehicle, 43-year-old Angela Noel Bearly of Bossier City, is facing identical drug and paraphernalia charges. Bond has not been set.
In a separate arrest, Minden officers responding to a call to check on the welfare of a local woman found themselves dealing with the subject of multiple bench warrants.
Maranda S. Richardson, 54, a resident of the 1700 block Highland Ave., is now facing a July 31 court date to answer for five active warrants.
Chief of Police Jared McIver said the suspect initially would not identify herself when officers arrived. Her name reportedly was found on a prescription pill container by Sgt. Reece Tewell after EMS arrived for assessment.
After Richardson reportedly was taken into custody, she was taken to city court where Judge Sherb Sentell gave her instructions to report for active recovery and return to court with documentation of attendance.
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.