A Leitchfield man is facing 15 charges after police found copious amounts of drugs, much of which were being hidden by a juvenile younger than 15, during a DUI traffic stop in Leitchfield.
On Saturday night at approximately 7:20, newly minted Leitchfield Officer Caden Jennings and Officer Jeff Jackson observed a Ford Focus “traveling at a high rate of speed on Cave Mill Road turn onto Tara Woods Drive,” according to the arrest citation.
The officers, the citation states, “had to reach speeds over 80 MPH to get behind the vehicle.”
The Ford, being driven by 38-year-old Casey A. Johnston, swerved “in and out of the roadway,” as police continued to follow the vehicle onto Lilac Road.
When officers activated their lights, the vehicle slowed down but never stopped until reaching a business parking lot at the intersection of Brandenburg Road and Kiper Drive.
While Jackson made contact with Johnston, Jennings “observed (a) juvenile in the back right seat place a silver object underneath his leg,” the citation says.
When questioned, the juvenile told the officer that “he didn’t have anything on him,” according to the citation, but during a search of the minor, Jackson found “a large cylinder object” in the juvenile’s waistband. Police then “located a jar of marijuana and a suspected methamphetamine pipe … inside of (the cylinder) on the juvenile.”
While being questioned, Johnston “admitted that the drugs located on the juvenile (were) his,” according to the citation.
During a search of the vehicle, officers found “several baggies of suspected methamphetamine (and) several containers of marijuana …” Also discovered, the citation states, were unmarked bottles of Adderall and Suboxone, multiple syringes, scales with residue, and straws.
Johnston was given a field sobriety test and arrested.
While being transported to Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center for a blood draw, when asked by police about “all the drugs in the vehicle,” Johnston responded: “When you’re high, you are forgetful.”
He was charged with trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine), two counts of felony wanton endangerment, possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), first-degree unlawful transaction with a minor (illegal controlled substance, juvenile under the age of 16), third-degree unlawful transaction with a minor, trafficking in marijuana, tampering with physical evidence, illegal possession of a legend drug (prescription drug), prescription controlled substance not in its proper container, DUI (controlled substance), careless driving, failure to wear seat belts, no registration receipt, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
LPD Officer Wally Ritter and Grayson County deputies assisted at the scene.
In 2023, Johnston was arrested for possession of methamphetamine (a charge that was later downgraded), police said, and in 2022 for second-degree assault (domestic violence) and first-degree criminal mischief, according to online records. Both of those arrests occurred in Grayson County.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
