By Pat Culverhouse
Tuesday was a day of irony for a pair of Webster Parish women who share the same first name and a similar misfortune of violating traffic laws that resulted in a litany of illegal narcotics charges.
A Louisiana State Police trooper stopped 47-year-old Jennifer Dawson, a Brackin St. resident in Minden, for a traffic violation at the intersection of U.S. Hwy. 80 and U.S. 371 in Dixie Inn just after 9 p.m. Tuesday.
According to reports, Trooper Daniel Albrecht detected the odor of marijuana and alcohol coming from the vehicle and after questioning, collected an admission that marijuana was inside. A subsequent probable cause search reportedly led to the discovery of numerous illegal substances plus an open container of liquor.
Dawson is currently booked at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center where she is facing 11 separate charges. Those include possession of CDS Such. I (marijuana), possession of a Legend drug (Methocarbamol) without prescription, possession of a Legend drug (Tizanidine Hydrochloride) without prescription, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Also she faces three counts of possession of CDS Sch. IV (Lorazepam, Phentermin Hydrochloride and Clonazepam), two counts of possession of CDS Sch. II (Acetaminophen/Oxycodone Hydrochloride and Amphetamine/Dextroamphetamine), violation of open container alcohol in vehicle and one traffic charge. Total bond was set at $6,000.
Not quite two hours later and a little farther north, an LSP trooper stopped 50-year-old Jennifer Ellen Tucker of Shongaloo on LA 157 at 7th St. in Springhill for a traffic infraction. After receiving consent to search the vehicle, the trooper reportedly discovered illegal substances.
Tucker reportedly was transported to Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center where charges of possession of CDS Sch. IV, possession of CDS Sch. I (marijuana), driving under suspension/operating a vehicle with suspended license and one traffic offense were filed.
Things for Tucker changed for the worse, however, when WPSO deputies at BDCC conducting a pre-incarceration search found a small plastic bag containing a crystal substance hidden in an undergarment.
That led to three additional charges of introduction of contraband into a penal facility, possession of CDS Sch. II (methamphetamine) and obstruction of justice. Total bond has been set at $7,500.
Jennifer Dawson, 47, 800 block Brackin St., Minden; arrested Aug. 6 by Louisiana State Police for traffic violation, violation of open container law, possession of CDS Sch. I (marijuana), two counts possession CDS Sch. II, three counts possession CDS Sch. IV, two counts possession of Legend drug, possession of drug paraphernalia. Bond $6,000.
Jennifer Ellen Tucker, 50, 500 block Elton Wise Rd., Shongaloo; arrested Aug. 7 by Louisiana State Police for traffic violation, possession of CDS Sch. I (THC), possession of CDS Sch. IV, possession of CDS Sch. II (methamphetamine), introduction of contraband into a penal facility, obstruction of justice.
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.