When a pickup truck with a license plate that belonged to a passenger car attracted the attention of a state trooper, the truck was pulled over and the driver ended up in jail for driving while suspended and for carrying a handgun without a license.

Carl David Wayne McCarty, 31, Linton, was arrested by Indiana State Police Trooper Caleb Garvin on Wednesday, June 16.

Trooper Garvin was conducting a traffic stop on State Road 54 just east of Judge Street when a black GMC pickup truck passed and when he looked in his rearview mirror, he noticed the license plate on the truck was for a passenger car. After finishing up with the traffic stop, he turned around to try and catch up to the truck.

McCarty was the driver of the truck that was pulled over by Trooper Garvin on State Road 54 just east of County Road 70 East around 5:30 p.m. that Wednesday. Kassy-Anne McCarty, 27, was a passenger.

Trooper Garvin reported that during the stop, he could smell the odor of marijuana coming from the truck and he saw a handgun magazine in the center console. When asked if there were any weapons in the truck, Kassy-Anne McCarty said there were no weapons but Carl McCarty said there was a handgun under his seat. Both were asked to exit the truck.

Trooper Richard Klun arrived to assist on the scene and at one point, Kassy-Anne McCarty handed him a plastic bag that contained a green plant material. During a search of the truck, Trooper Klun reported finding a smoking device, a partially burned hand-rolled cigarette and a metal grinder.

They also found the handgun, a 9 mm with eight rounds in the magazine. Carl McCarty allegedly said he had it in the truck because he was just going to pawn it.

Carl McCarty’s driver’s license turned out to be suspended and he was taken into custody. He did not have a valid firearm license.

Kassy-Anne was issued a summons to appear in court on charges of possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia, then she was released from the scene.

Carl McCarty was booked into the Greene County Jail at 6:04 p.m. His bond was set at $2,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. He posted $200 and was released later the same day.

When Carl McCarty appeared in Greene Superior Court this week for his initial hearing, on Monday, June 28, he was formally charged with:

• Carrying a handgun without a license, a Class A misdemeanor, and

• Driving while suspended – a knowing violation with a prior conviction within 10 years,  Class A misdemeanor.