On Friday evening at 7:29 p.m., a Merrill police officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for an equipment violation. The driver displayed signs indicative of recent drug use and was subsequently placed through field sobriety tests. The driver failed those tests and was arrested for operating while intoxicated.
A search of her belongings revealed she was in possession of numerous hypodermic needles, gem baggies and other drug paraphernalia. Additionally she was found in possession of prescription medication belonging to two different people.
She was arrested for operating while intoxicated, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of illegally obtained prescription medication and four counts of bail jumping.
Early Saturday morning at 12:15 a.m., an officer conducted another traffic stop for an equipment violation. A backup officer, also a Drug Recognition Expert, noted the driver displayed signs of recent drug use. The K9 unit conducted a drug sniff of the vehicle and the K9 showed behavior that he had detected the odor of drugs coming from the vehicle.
The driver was arrested for operating a motor vehicle with a restricted controlled substance following field sobriety tests. The other two occupants were asked to step out of the vehicle as the driver permitted an officer to move the vehicle to a legal parking spot.
The rear passenger was found to be sitting on a methamphetamine pipe. He was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia. The other passenger was arrested for a probation violation. A search of the vehicle revealed numerous items of drug paraphernalia, methamphetamine packaged for sales, a container of marijuana and a handgun.
The rear passenger was found to have provided a false name to officers and was subsequently charged with a felony count of providing false identification to officers to avoid penalty. It was found he had a warrant for his arrest through Marathon County.
The trio was transported to the Lincoln County jail and are facing numerous charges.