A driver pulled over last weekend in eastern Greene County, accused of speeding and driving under the influence of a controlled substance, had a young passenger on board and is now facing seven criminal counts including neglect of a dependent.

Matthew A. Woodruff, 35, was arrested last Saturday night, December 1, by Indiana State Police Trooper Richard Klun. The arrest record shows Woodruff with a home address in Loogootee. The court record shows him with a home address in Elnora.

Trooper Klun was on patrol Saturday, along with K9 Loki, on State Road 45 east of Scotland Road when he saw a black 2018 Subaru Impreza westbound at what looked like a high rate of speed. Radar clocked it going 74 mph in a 55 mph zone. Klun reported he saw the vehicle touch the yellow center line then move toward the fog line then back to cross the center line. The vehicle was pulled over for a traffic stop in the parking lot of a gas station on State Road 58.

Woodruff was the driver, with an eight-year-old passenger on board.

Klun said he first noticed the license plate had expired in February, then he noticed Woodruff tried to avoid eye contact but had pinpoint pupils, his hands were shaking, he was taking short rapid breaths, and his carotid artery was pulsing in his neck.

While Klun was checking records and Woodruff was standing outside his vehicle, Woodruff opened the door by the juvenile passenger and appeared to take something out of his own pocket and place it inside the vehicle.

The records check revealed the expired license plate actually belonged on a different vehicle, Woodruff’s driving privileges were suspended, and that he has a pending case in Monroe County for allegedly operating a vehicle with a controlled substance in the body.

The mother of the juvenile was contacted and she arrived on the scene to pick him up, and then K9 Loki was deployed around the vehicle. He gave a positive alert and Woodruff was advised he and his vehicle would be searched.

Trooper Klun reported finding a substance in the center console that field tested positive as marijuana, a smoking device with burnt plant material, a pen tube with a white powder residue and a plastic bag containing nine white oval pills believed to be hydrocodone medication, a Schedule II controlled substance.

Woodruff allegedly said he didn’t have a prescription for the pills and that he had smoked marijuana the night before.

Woodruff was transported to Monroe Hospital for a blood draw. Results are pending.

He was booked in to the Greene County Jail around 8 p.m. where he was being held without bond pending a court appearance. When he does appear for his initial hearing, he’ll be charged with:

• Operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person less than 18 years old, a Level 6 felony,

• Neglect of a dependent – defendant places dependent in a situation that endangers the dependent, a Level 6 felony,

• Operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor,

• Possession of a controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor,

• Possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor,

• Possession of paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor, and

• Operating a vehicle with a Schedule I or II controlled substance in person’s body, a Class C misdemeanor.