Staff
Report
A Clay County man was arrested and placed under a $20,000 secured bond after methamphetamine and other paraphernalia were found in the car he was driving while officers were conducting a traffic stop on him, according to a release from the Clay County Sheriff's Office.
On Dec. 20 Sergeant Tyler Faggard was traveling along Cold Branch Road in Hayesville when he observed a blue Dodge Dakota with a Georgia registration plate cross the yellow line three times while in front of him, according to the officer.
Faggard stopped the vehicle at the intersection of Cold Branch Road and Cold Branch Drive.
The driver was identified as Dennis Jason Grindle, of Hayesville. Faggard explained why he stopped him and asked Grindle for his drivers license and the registration card which he provided.
Faggard walked back to his patrol car run the information through Clay County Dispatch. Sergeant Steven Smith arrived on scene and started speaking with Grindle.
Faggard said he was waiting for the read-back when he saw Smith deploy his K-9 and walk him around the vehicle.
Faggard noted that he observed Grindle “clearly acting nervous.”
Clay County Dispatch advised that Grindle was clear of warrants. When Faggard got out of the vehicle he overheard Smith ask if there was anything in the vehicle.
Grindle responded, "There are some rigs" — hypodermic needles — down in the door,” according to Faggard.
The officer walked over to the driver's door and located four hypodermic needles, according to the press release. When asked if there was anything else illegal in the vehicle, Faggard said Grindle replied, “She might have left a silver container in there."
Faggard said he noticed a silver container wedged between the driver's seat and the center console. He said the baggy contained a crystal like substance of 2.5 grams which tested positive for methamphetamine.
Officers continued to search the vehicle and located a digital scale in the pocket of the back passenger's side, a burnt piece of tin foil in the floor board and a clear baggy with residue under the driver's seat, according to Faggard. Grindle was arrested without incident and charged with possession of methamphetamine.