A Linton driver under the age of 21 was stopped in Bloomfield because he didn’t have a license plate visible. During the stop, the officer saw an open bottle of vodka and now he’s facing a charge for underage possession.

A criminal case was filed yesterday against Max David Cooper, 19, Linton, on a preliminary charge of minor in possession of alcohol, a Class C misdemeanor. The charge comes as a result of an investigation by Deputy Marshal Brittany Ingram of the Bloomfield Police Department in an incident that occurred early Wednesday, December 30.

Around 2:30 a.m., Officer Ingram was in her patrol vehicle on the west edge of Bloomfield when she saw a black passenger car, eastbound on Main Street, that did not have a license plate. She initiated a traffic stop.

The driver was Max Cooper. When the reason for the stop was explained, he pulled a temporary license plate off the floor. The officer told him the temporary tag needed to be visible, but while she was talking to Cooper, she saw an open container of Tito’s vodka sitting in the floorboard on the passenger side.

Officer Ingram advised Cooper that he is not allowed to have alcohol because he was not yet 21 years old and she told him information would be submitted to the prosecutor’s office and to watch the mail for more information.

And then she confiscated the bottle of alcohol and disposed of it.

A summons has been issued via signature mail ordering Cooper to appear in Greene Superior Court for an initial hearing on March 8.