Traffic stop leads to drug possession charges
A traffic stop in North Warren has resulted in drug possession charges against a Bradford man.
Keith W. Bunce, 37, was pulled over by Conewango Township police on Oct. 27 on Jackson Run Road for not having a state inspection certificate. According to the affidavit of probable cause, Bunce couldn’t provide a valid insurance card and the officer stated he could smell marijuana coming from the truck.
“The defendant admitted to having a marijuana blunt and pointed, showing me a cigarette pack that was near the radio,” the affidavit states.
The officer asked for permission to search the truck to recover the marijuana and search for additional controlled substances and drug paraphernalia, but Bunce allegedly denied consent to search the vehicle.
The officer requested a tow truck to take the vehicle to a secured impound lot and then applied for a search warrant from Judge Todd Woodiin. A search of the vehicle allegedly turned up two burned marijuana cigarettes, a glass meth pipe, a pen cut as a straw, a metal piece, brillo, and a contact container that had 1 gram of methamphetamine in it. The officer also allegedly found two separate bags of marijuana, another metal piece and two rolling paper sets on the passenger floorboard of the truck.
After the search the officer met with Bunce and arrested him for intentional possession of controlled substances, marijuana possession – small amount personal use and 14 counts of use or possession of drug paraphernalia. He was also cited for operating a vehicle without a valid inspection, operating a vehicle without required financial responsibility, violating safety glass and operating with unsafe equipment.
Bail was set at $10,000 unsecured, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for Nov. 6.