A driver and passenger were not detained during a traffic stop but a few days later, a warrant was issued for the driver’s arrest and the passenger has been summoned to court.

Amanda Dawn Wheeler, 41, of Jasonville, was the driver of a green Hyundai passenger car headed north on County Road 1350 West on Friday, July 19. Jacob Hayden, 55, also of Jasonville, was a passenger.

Officer Jacob Gambill of the Jasonville Police Department was on patrol at the time and reported the Hyundai failed to dim headlights then failed to signal a turn onto CR 1380 West, south of CR 800 North.

During a traffic stop, Wheeler allegedly said she didn’t have her license with her, and that she’d recently bought the vehicle and hadn’t taken care of the registration, and that the license plate was from a Chevrolet Blazer that belonged to a friend.

A records check revealed Wheeler’s license was suspended and that she was convicted in 2010 of driving while suspended. Wheeler allegedly said she knew that she used to be suspended but didn’t know if she still was.

While Officer Gambill was checking records and talking to Wheeler, JPD Officer Duguay, who had arrived to assist on the scene along with JPD K9 Blitz, had K9 Blitz perform a free air sniff around the vehicle and the K9 alerted to the presence of drugs.

During a search of the vehicle, Officer Duguay reported finding a large amount of a material spread throughout the front of the car that was believed to be a synthetic drug known as “spice.” He also located baggies and a hand-rolled cigarette of material that field-tested positive as marijuana and a broken glass bowl with a burnt residue that field-tested positive as methamphetamine.

Officer Gambill reported Hayden claimed the marijuana, Wheeler said the spice was spilled when she got into an argument about it with a friend, but nobody claimed the meth.

After officers retrieved the evidence including the scattered “spice,” Gambill reported the marijuana weighed 2.84 grams and the “spice” weighed 103.72 grams.

Wheeler and Hayden were not taken into custody but were advised charges would likely be filed.

Since then, a warrant was issued for Wheeler’s arrest and she was taken into custody on August 8. During her initial hearing she was charged with:

Possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony,
Driving while suspended – a knowing violation with a prior conviction within 10 years, a Class A misdemeanor, and
Possession of a controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor.

A public defender was appointed to represent her and her bond was set at $10,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed.

Wheeler has not posted bond and as of Monday, August 19, she remains in the Greene County Jail.

Hayden is facing a charge of possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor. He is being summoned to appear in court for an initial hearing in September.