Baisden

BUCKHANNON — Two people were arrested following a traffic stop in which meth was discovered in the vehicle.

William A. Baisden, 37, of Buckhannon, was arrested for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, a felony, and the driver, Jamie Owen Strader, 41, was arrested for driving under the influence, possession of heroin, and driving revoked non-DUI, all misdemeanors. On June 30, deputy Tyler Gordon with the Upshur County Sheriff’s Department observed a white Ford Fiesta traveling east on Route 151 in Buckhannon make an “extremely wide” sweeping turn from South Florida onto Island Avenue, according to the criminal complaint in the Upshur County Magistrate Clerk’s office. Gordon initiated a traffic stop and noticed Strader allegedly had red, watery eyes and smelled alcohol coming from the vehicle. Strader showed multiple signs of impairment on the standard field sobriety tests and refused a preliminary breath test. He also refused the secondary test through the Intoximeter and a blood drawal. However, Gordon obtained a search warrant and Strader had a sample of blood taken at St. Joseph’s Hospital..

Gordon located drug paraphernalia inside the front pant pockets of Strader and a corner baggie containing what appeared to be heroin. In the vehicle, Gordon located a baggie with a small amount of a crystal like substance believed to be meth under Baisden’s feet in the front passenger area. There were two loose baggies containing a larger amount of the substance believed to be meth and a purple tin containing six more baggies containing the same substance, according to the criminal complaint. Each baggie weighed approximately .75 grams. Baisden told Gordon that Strader had taken over driving because Baisden was believed to be too intoxicated.

Magistrate Kay Hurst set bond at $30,000 cash or surety plus $12 law enforcement training fee for Baisden and $5,500 cash or surety plus the LET fees for Strader.

• In a separate case, Cpl. Theron Caynor with the Upshur County Sheriff’s Department made an arrest in a stolen vehicle case from December.

Justin D. White, 37, of French Creek, was arrested for nighttime burglary, a felony. When the homeowner, Sen. Bill Hamilton, arrived at the residence on Dec. 4, 2019, he found one of the garage doors damaged and a broken window in the main residence. A 1989 Ford F-250 vehicle valued at approximately $4,000 was taken from the garage while inside the residence jewelry and other items were removed. Caynor, Cpl. Rocky Hebb and Cpl. Rodney Rolenson responded and fingerprinted the residence. A report from the West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory has matched a fingerprint to White, according to Caynor.

The stolen truck, which was spray painted black, was previously recovered on Dec. 21, 2018. Caynor also had a statement from Rebecca Young who stated that White had the truck and parked it at her house before it was moved. Young also told Caynor she had ridden in the vehicle.

Hurst set bond at $50,000 plus law enforcement training fee of $12.

If convicted, White faces confinement in the state penitentiary for one to 15 years.