Chief Reports Three Arrests For Meth
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WATER VALLEY – Water Valley police officers have made three meth arrests during the last two weeks, prompting an observation from Chief Jason Mangrum that hiding illegal substances in your wallet may not be the best choice. The chief also noted placing drugs in a bag with clothes prepared for a jail visit is not a viable option.
The police report starts with driver’s license checkpoint on Wise Street Sunday as city officers were assisting troopers with the Mississippi Highway Patrol. The driver of the vehicle did not have a driver’s license and while troopers were citing him for multiple infractions, city officers were talking with passengers inside the vehicle and observed a syringe. Officers discovered that Sims had alleged methamphetamine in her wallet.
“We always say alleged until we get a report back on the substance from the crime lab,” Mangrum explained.
Sims was booked in the Yalobusha County Detention Center for possession of a controlled substance.
Malachi Vaughn of Randolph, Miss. was arrested on June 25 after officers found alleged methamphetamine, again tucked away in a wallet. Vaughn was stopped on Gore Circle for failure to signal and not wearing a seat belt. Vaughn consented to a search and officers discovered a bag of the crystal-like substance. Vaughn was also booked in the jail.
In the third arrest, Mangrum reported Larry Gene Simmons was arrested on June 30 as officers served an outstanding arrest warrant on a burglary charge. Simmons asked if he could take his bag of clothes with him to the jail.
“He should have left his clothes at the house,” Mangrum said. “When we checked the bag, we found alleged methamphetamine inside it.”
Simmons was booked in the county jail for possession of a controlled substance and the burglary charge.
Officers also made two DUI arrests including Jonathan Colclasure of Water Valley. The chief said officers stopped to check on Colclasure after observing him parked in the lane of traffic on Hwy. 7 near the Central Street intersection. Officers made contact with him and learned he had recently smoked marijuana.
“There was odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle, and a DUI investigation was launched,” Mangrum said. “They also found paraphernalia inside the vehicle.
Colclasure was charged with DUI (other) first offense and possession of paraphernalia.
Michael Houston, 49, of Water Valley was also arrested for DUI on July 2. Houston stopped at a driver’s safety checkpoint at Thornton and East Lee streets and officers detected the odor of an intoxicating beverage. During the DUI investigation, officers determined Houston was over the legal limit to operate a motor vehicle and was taken into custody and booked in the jail.
