February 2, 2018
By: Dwayne Page
A Watertown man pulled over for a non-working tail light on his car has a lot more trouble on his hands after officers discovered that he was on probation, intoxicated, illegally in possession of a handgun, and had numerous drugs in his possession including methamphetamine and ecstasy.
27 year old Robert Jacob Hardison of Sparta Highway, Watertown is charged with driving under the influence, driving on a suspended license, possession of a handgun while under the influence, tampering with evidence, and possession of methamphetamine and schedule I, II, & VI drugs with intent to manufacture, deliver, or sell. His bond is $73,000 and his court date is February 15.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Thursday, January 25 a deputy stopped a vehicle on Smith Road for a non working tail light. The officer spoke with the driver, Hardison and detected an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Hardison admitted to having used marijuana and hydrocodone earlier in the day. He submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. He also submitted to implied consent (blood test). During the investigation the officer learned that Hardison is on probation for a previous offense and that his license were suspended on October 14, 2017 for failure to show proof of insurance and that he had continued to drive even after receiving a citation in Wilson County for driving on a suspended license.
A search of Hardison’s vehicle turned up a Jennings 22 caliber handgun which is illegal since Hardison had the weapon in his possession while under the influence.
Drugs were also found in the car including six green pills believed to be ecstasy and three separate baggies of a crystal like substance suspected to be methamphetamine, which were in a metal tin on the driver’s side floorboard along with scales and separate baggies.
During a search of Hardison’s person, the deputy found a white pill believed to be hydrocodone. After being placed in custody and seated in the back of the deputy’s patrol car, Hardison pulled a silver container from the area of his crotch and put several pills from that container into his mouth and into the seat of the car, trying to dispose of them.
After Hardison admitted to the officers that he had other drugs in his home, they conducted a probation search of the residence upon containing consent from Hardison and found 37.19 grams of a leafy substance believed to be marijuana along another baggie of meth and more scales and baggies.
The total weight of all four baggies of meth found during this investigation totaled 3.6 grams.
60 year old Forrest Byrd of South College Street, Smithville is cited for simple possession of a schedule VI drug (marijuana). He will make a court appearance on February 23
Sheriff Ray said that Byrd gave an officer consent to search his room and found in the top drawer of a dresser were two marijuana joints wrapped in a plastic baggie. It weighed less than one gram. Byrd admitted that the marijuana belonged to him. The citation was issued on Monday, January 22 by a Sheriff’s Department Detective.
32 year old Clint Lee Shehane of Wade Street, Smithville is cited for simple possession of a schedule II drug. He will make a court appearance on February 1.
Sheriff Ray said that on Thursday, January 25 a Sheriff’s Department Detective went to a residence on Wade Street to pick up Shehane on a warrant. He was found hiding in a closet and in the area near him were two baggies of a rock like substance believed to be methamphetamine which weighed 0.37 grams and 0.71 grams.