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A Clay County man faces multiple charges after he was discovered slumped behind the steering wheel of a 1997 Ford 150 truck with the engine still running, according to a release from Sheriff Mark Buchanan.
The incident occurred around 4:25 p.m. Thursday, July 6 in a Town Mountain Road driveway. Sgt. Tyler Faggard responded to a call about a man being “passed out” where he found John Christopher Bailey, 49, from Hayesville behind the wheel.
“Due to the brake lights being on, Sgt. Faggard believed the vehicle to have been left in gear. In order to secure the truck Faggard reached in the truck on the passenger side, put it in park and removed the ignition key,” Buchanan explained.
While securing the truck, Faggard reporeted seeing two clear baggies containing pills in a cup holder. One baggy contained blue pills and the other contained white ones.
NC Highway Patrol Trooper AJ Gordon and Clay County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Chris Moral soon arrived to assist and the driver was removed from the truck.
Gordon charged Bailey with driving while impaired and transported him to the detention center.
A search of the truck revealed a green face mask that was rolled up and contained more pills. Those allegedly included 66 tablets of Alprazolam, schedule IV; two Hydrocodone, schedule III; a tablet of Buprenorphine Hydrochloride Sublingual, schedule III for treatment of opioid dependence, according to Buchanan.
Bailey was charged with felony possession with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver a schedule IV controlled substance; simple possession of a schedule IV controlled substance; and simple possession of a schedule III controlled substance.
Bailey was placed under a $20,000 bond for the drug charges and placed under a $10,000 bond relating to charges from Gordon.
In an unrelated incident that occurred on June 21, a state trooper assisted deputies in a stop that also resulted in traffic and drug charges.
Around 7 p.m. Faggard noted a gray 1999 Cadillac being operated by Brian Anthony Cross, 31, of Marble, on U.S. 64 in Hayesville.
Faggard coordinated with Highway Patrol Trooper Charlie Cheeks who stopped Cross in the Ingles parking lot. Investigator Nick Queen and Steven Smith arrived to assist.
Officers were given consent to search the car where they found a hypodermic needle and a “clear baggy containing a crystal-like substance,” noted Buchanan. The substance tested positive for methamphetamine, confirming Cross’ admission.
Cheeks charged Cross with driving with a suspended license, driving while impaired and displaying a fictitious license plate. Faggard charged him with felony possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Cross was arrested and given a $10,000 secured bond. The Cadillac was towed and processed for evidence.