On Wednesday March 9th, 2016 around 11:30pm Mahanoy City Police pulled over a vehicle driven by Johnathan Hindermyer on East Centre Street.
Upon approaching the vehicle police immediately smelled alcohol emmitting from the vehicle. Police also observed that Hindermyer's eyes were red, glossy, and bouncing around from left to right.
Due to observing the driver's condition, Officers conducted a series of testing to Hindermyer to determine if he was capable of safely operating a vehicle, which he failed. Hindermyer was taken into custody for the Suspicion of Driving Under the Influence.
Two other individuals were also in the vehicle who were identified as Nikolas Taylor, of Tamaqua and Krystle Ketchledge, Mahanoy City.
Taylor was found to be wanted in Tennessee on an outstanding warrant.
Ketchledge was asked to step out of the vehicle so that Police could talk as she was registered as the owner of the vehicle. She was also the only occupant of the vehicle with a valid Driver's License.
While she exited the vehicle, police observed an orange cap which police knew is used to cover the needle of a syringe. Police asked Ketchledge if she had anything on her which may potentially endanger their safety that Police should know about, to which she stated "no".
Police then conducted a pat down search of her pockets just to verify for their safety, to which she said agreed.
Upon looking in Ketchledge's hooded sweatshirt pocket, Police observed an orange tourniquet. Police then also observed an opened bottle of Calico Jack Caribbean Rum Alcoholic Beverage resting on the floor of the front passenger seat where Taylor was located as well as a glass pipe with dark burnt residue inside.
Due to the items located in plain view, Police conducted a search of the vehicle in an attempt to locate any other opened bottles of an alcoholic beverage and or any illegal substances.
While doing so, Police located within the rear passenger right seat where Ketchledge was seated, one small gold decorative box containing 4 capped syringes, 4 cotton ball swabs, and 2 water bottle caps.
Police also searched a brown purse that was next to the gold decorative box. Within the purse, Police found a wallet which contained a Pennsylvania Driver's License card issued to Ketchledge.
Also within the purse was a smaller purse that contained a total of 116 packaging bags with the word Diesel imprinted on it, 20 individual packets with Diesel Imprinted on it containing a multi colored substance.
Also located within the reach of Ketchledge, in the rear passenger seating area, was also a large black box. Within the box, there were 3 pill bottles. The first bottle had a label which showed that the prescription was issued to Nikolas Taylor and should contain 30 OxyCodone 5mg pills on March 2nd, 2016. This bottle currently contained 1 OxyCodone pill and 9 Promethazine pills.
The second pill bottle located within the same black box showed that the perscription was issued to Nikolas Taylor and should contain 15 Promethazine 25mg pills, which was filled on March 2nd, 2016. This pill bottle currently contained 15 Diazepam pills and 1 Alprazolam pill.
The last and final pill bottle found within the black box, exhibited a Walgreens perscription label which had previously been multilated. This final pill bottle containted 105 Tramodol pills.
Lastly, located in the rear pocket of the front passenger seat, which was positioned directly in front of Ketchledge was an open syringe which Ketchledge made the officer aware of and stated that she just used it prior to the traffic stop.
Due to the illegal substances found to be in the possession of Ketchledge, she was taken into custody and transported back to Mahanoy' City Borough Police Station for processing then transported to Schuylkill County Prison to be held on a 48 hour detainer issued by Schuylkill County Adult Probation and Parole Department.
The multi colored substance found within the packets, imprinted with the work Diesel, tested positive for containing Methylmethcathinone also known as Bath Salts.
Ketchledge was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge David J. Rossi on charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia, misbranding of medication or prescription. She was locked up in Schuylkill County Prison unable to post bail.
Shenandoah Police were also requested to the scene for assistance.
