By Pat Culverhouse

Failure to obey a traffic signal in plain sight of a Minden police officer has led to multiple traffic and illegal drug charges against a local man.

Officer Cody James reportedly observed a vehicle driven by Tillman St. resident 59-year-old Brandon M. Hodge fail to stop at a red light at the intersection of Homer Rd. and Elm St. just before 11:30 p.m. Saturday.

During an information check, the officer reportedly learned Hodge had an expired drivers license, switched tags on the vehicle and three outstanding warrants issued by the Webster Parish Sheriffs Office.

After asking Hodge to step from the vehicle, the officer reportedly observed a substance believed to be marijuana laying in plain sight on the driver’s side floorboard.

MPD Officer Kendale Booker, with his K9 partner Reef, arrived to assist and during an open-air sniff around the vehicle, Reef reportedly alerted positive for narcotics.

During a subsequent search of the vehicle, officers reportedly found 10 grams of natural marijuana, 0.8 grams of methamphetamines, one glass bowl smoking pipe, one metal marijuana grinder and two straws containing white residue.

Hodge reportedly is being held at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center facing charges of possession of CDS Sch. II (methamphetamines), possession of CDS Sch.I (natural marijuana), possession of drug paraphernalia, violations of registration, traffic controls signals, expired drivers license and on outstanding warrants. His bond has been set at $3,255.

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.