Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Three Drug Arrests Are Made

Three traffic stops led to three drug arrests recently in Nevada County.

According to Nevada County Sheriff Steve Otwell, on Saturday, Jan. 1, around 5:45 p.m. he made a traffic stop on Highway 299 near Laneburg.

Otwell noticed something thrown from the passenger's side window as the stop was being made. A plastic bag containing a white powdery substance believed to be methamphetamine was found.

The passenger, David Ray Willis, 35, of Rosston, was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance, namely methamphetamine.

His bond was set at $20,000.

Sunday, around 6 p.m., Otwell and deputy Danny Martin were working in the Bodcaw area when they saw a vehicle cross the intersection of Highway 53 and Arkansas Highway 4 with its lights off.

They followed the car down Highway 32, stopping it just west of Bodcaw.

A search of the car turned up a plastic bag containing a white powdery substance believed to be methamphetamine.

The driver, Jerry Waylon Watson, 29, of Hope, was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance, namely methamphetamine.

He was also cited for failure to pay registration, no proof of insurance and driving with his lights off.

The passenger, James. D. Palmer, 31, of Rosston, had a warrant check ran on him, with the results showing he was wanted for probation violation in Nevada County.

Palmer was also charged for possession of a controlled substance.

The third arrest came at 11:45 p.m. on Jan. 7, as Otwell stopped a Chevy S-10 pickup on Highway 299 east of Emmet.

Steve Taylor, 32, of Buckner was charged with driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquors or narcotics, while a passenger, Dennis Carlton, 45, of Rosston, was charged with public intoxication.

Both were taken to the Nevada County jail and bonded out.