A driver who was stopped for a license plate light violation back in October was asked to consent to a blood draw – results have been pending but they came back this month.

Austin Stephens, aka Austin David Delorn Stephens, 23, Ellettsville, has been summoned to appear in court in late April as a result of an investigation by Indiana State Police Trooper Richard Klun into an incident that occurred in October 2020.

On October 7, 2020, both Trooper Klun and Deputy Jordan Allor of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department were working traffic patrol near U.S. 231/State Road 54 and Park Road in the Bloomfield area when Deputy Allor stopped a silver 2005 Chrysler for a license plate light violation.

Stephens was the driver. During the stop, Deputy Allor requested Trooper Klun to assist with his K9 Loki. A free air sniff around the vehicle was conducted and K9 Loki alerted to the presence of a controlled substance in the vehicle.

When asked, Stephens allegedly said there were no controlled substances in the vehicle but he admitted he had smoked marijuana a couple of hours earlier.

During a search of the vehicle, Trooper Klun reported finding a metal plate with a plant material believed to be marijuana.

Stephens consented to a blood draw and results have been pending.

Trooper Klun reported that on March 10, the results of the blood draw came back and showed Stephens had THC in his blood at the time of the traffic stop.

A criminal case was filed against Stephens in Greene Superior Court last week and a summons issued ordering him to appear for an initial hearing on April 29 on charges of operating a vehicle with a Schedule I or II controlled substance in the body, a Class C misdemeanor, and possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor.

But, Stephens is now in jail in Monroe County and when he appeared in court there this week, he was charged with theft of a firearm, a Level 6 felony, and possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor, in connection with an incident in Monroe County that occurred last Friday, March 26.

In addition, Stephens has another earlier case still pending against him in Monroe County involving charges of: Theft of property valued between $750 and $50,000, a Level 6 felony; unlawful possession of a legend drug, a Level 6 felony; resisting law enforcement – knowingly or intentionally flees from law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor; and dealing in marijuana, a Class A misdemeanor.

Stephens is currently being held without bond in Monroe County.