Police: Marijuana, guns found during traffic stop
A Virginia man is behind bars on six-figure bond after state police said they stopped him for speeding Monday in Franklin Township and found marijuana, three handguns and more than $1,500 in currency.
Elisha H. Harrell, 22, of Woodbridge is facing felony drug possession and other charges. He is in the Butler County Prison on $100,000 bond.
Trooper Philip Treadway was running radar on Route 422 near Pleasant Valley Road around 6:10 p.m., police said, when he clocked a car with a Virginia license plate traveling 90 mph in a 55 mph zone.
The trooper stopped the car near the Route 528 intersection and identified Harrell as the driver. A check of the license plate allegedly found that it was stolen out of Virginia. The plate also was not registered to the car the defendant was driving.
Harrell appeared to be impaired and he — and the car — smelled of marijuana, police said. He subsequently allegedly showed signs of impairment during field sobriety testing.
Police said he told them that he was coming from Ohio and was headed home.
The defendant was later taken to Butler Memorial Hospital for a blood draw. Toxicology results are pending.
A search of the car, police said, turned up two large plastic bags containing suspected marijuana, drug-packaging materials, a digital scale and $1,540 in denominations of $100 and $20.
Police also found a .45-caliber pistol and two 9 mm pistols, nine magazines, and .45-caliber and 9 mm ammunition. One of the guns was loaded. During the search, police said they seized an expandable baton that was in the driver's side door.
District Judge Bill O'Donnell arraigned Harrell on a felony charge of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, and misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence of a controlled substance, possession of a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, possession of a prohibited offensive weapon and receiving stolen property.
Additionally, he is charged with six traffic violations.
Harrell's preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 2. Online court records did not indicate if he has an attorney.
